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■  THORNSjOEFLESH. 

[a  BOMANCK  of  the  WAK  and  KU-KIiTTI  PEKIODS.] 

i 

*  A  VOICE  OF  VINDICATION  FROM  THE  SOUTH 

IN   ANSWER   TO 

"A  FOOL'S  ERRAND"  AND  OTHER  SLANDERS. 


SYLLABUS : 


Slavery— A  thorjt,  grown  into  the  very  flesh  and  blood 
of  the  country  and  of  society. 

ABOiiiTiONisM— A  THORX  in  the  side  of  Southern  love  for 
the  Union. 

The  "Higher  Law"  Doctbixe— a.  thorx  in  the  heart  ot 
the  Southern  hope  for  peace  and  fair  play. 

War— A  CRO\\'x  of  thorxs,  which  conferred  upon  the  brow 
of  the  South  a  regal  majesty— a  fathomless  woe. 

Recoxstructiox— A  PATH  OF  THORXS  over  which  Carpet- 
baggers—unfitted for  such  authority— led  the 
captive  South. 

Partisan  Aximosity— the  hiddex  thorxs  that  crippled 
the  South  in  her  march  toward  social  peace, 
political  harmonj',  and  material  restoration. 

MisREPBESEXTATioxs— the  LITTLE  THORXS  that  exasper- 
ated those  who  honestly  desired  peace  and  unity. 


"A  masierly  showmg^  of  historical  facis  threaded  upon  a  romance  of 
closer  adherence  to  reality  and  yet  of  greater  and  tnore  thrilling  power  than 
'Uncle  Tom^s  Cabin''  oj    A  FooVs  Errand.'  " — The  State  {Richmond,  Fa.). 


BY     N.     J.     KLOYD. 


MANY   GRAPHIC   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


HUBBARD   BROS.,  Publishers: 

PHILADELPHIA,  CINCINNATI,  CHICAGO,  NEW  YORK,  BOSTON, 

KANSAS  CITY. 

1884. 


I 

i 


COPYRIGHT,  ACCOBDING  TO  ACT  OF  CONGBESS, 

BY  N.  J.   FLOYD, 
18&4. 


I^ritxm : 


TO 

MRS.  M.  L.  GARLAND, 

FORMERLY  ** 

MISS  MARY  LIGHTFOOT  ANDERSON, 

THE    KIND    FRIEND     OF    THE    AUTHOR'S   CHILDHOOD,  YOUTH   AND 
MANHOOD,   AND    THE    ONLY    REMAINING    REPRESENTA- 
TIVE OF  ONE  GENERATION  OF  HIS  FAMILY; 

TO    THE 

GRACIOUS,  ATTRACTIVE  AND  CULTIVATED  CHRISTIAN  LADY, 

WHO,  IN  HER  EIGHTY-FOURTH  YEAR,   IS  A  LIVING    EXEMPLIFICATION 
THAT    PURITY  OF    HEART    CAN  GIVE  PERENNIAL  SPRING-TIME 
TO  THE  FEELINGS  ;   AND  THAT  LOVELINESS  OF  CHAR- 
ACTER   AND    LIFE    MAY    DEPRIVE    EVEN     TIME 
OF  THE  ABILITY  TO  ROB  THE  COUNTE- 
NANCE   OF    ITS    CHARM, 

THIS  VOLUME 

IS 

RESPECTFULLY  AND  AFFECTIONATELY  DEDICATED. 


602897 


CONINIKNTS. 


"  Capt.  N.  J.  Floyd  is  a  coiisin  of  the  late  General  John  B.  Floyd,  Secretary 
of  War  under  President  Buchanan.  He  is  a  man  of  wide  thought  and  re- 
search. .  .  .  The  tone  of  this  book,  except  in  dealing  with  a  certain  class 
of  hypocrites,  is  distinctly  irenic,  and  is  especially  admirable  in  recognition  of 
the  real  heroes  of  the  North.  It  is,  in  fact,  a  masterly  showing  of  historical 
facts,  threaded  upon  a  romance  of  closer  adherence  to  reality,  and  yet  of 
greater  and  more  thrilling  powers,  than  '  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin,'  or, '  A  Foors 
Errand.'  "— "  The  State."     (Bichmond,  Va.) 


"  It  is  the  work  of  a  man  of  genius.  The  descriptions  in  it  are  strong  and 
graphic;  the  argument  presented  with  such  force  and  in  such  form  that  we 
do  not  hazard  too  much  in  predicting  that  it  will  reach  the  forum  of  the 
nations ;  while  wit,  pathos,  humor  and  curious  traditional  and  local  lore 
happily  succeed  each  other,  and  the  war  scenes  and  love  incidents  are  inter- 
twined like  scarlet  and  golden  threads."— "  Daily  News."  (Lynchburg,  Va.) 


"We  know  the  author  to  be  a  fine  writer,  and  his  views  are  not  only 
sound,  but  conservative,  and  still  they  are  Southern  and  Virginian  through 
and  through.  We  have  needed  j  ust  such  a  book  .  .  .  Judge  Tourgee  has 
given  us  since  the  war  what  Mrs.  Stowe  did  before,  and  we  have  suffered  for 
the  want  of  a  popular  book  vindicating  our  side  of  a  controversy  that  looks 
as  if  it  started  at  Plymouth  Bock  and  will  stop  only  at  the  North  Pole."— 
"The  Advance."    (Lynchburg,  Va.) 


"  The  work  is  cast  In  the  form  of  a  novel,  but  is  a  profound  yet  most  en- 
gaging philosophical  argument  withal,  involving  a  complete  and  unanswer- 
able vindication  of  the  civilization  of  the  Southern  States  before,  during,  and 
since  the  war  .  .  .  It  is  believed  by  those  who  have  seen  the  MS.  of  this 
volume  that  the  author,  as  did  Byron, '  will  wake  up  to  find  himself  famous.'" 

— Edward  S.  Gbegoby. 


PREFACE. 


THE  Author  makes  no  apology  for  presenting 
this  volume  to  the  public.  Indeed,  he  feels 
that  an  apology  is  due  to  himself,  together  with 
the  general  reading  public,  from  all  the  literary 
men  in  the  South  for  their  dereliction  of  duty 
in  leaving  the  patriotic  task,  herein  attempted, 
to  the  unskilled  pen  of  a  layman  in  the  field  of 
literature. 

There  has  been  a  long-felt  want  for  a  work 
somewhat  like  this,  but  of  course  broader  and 
deeper,  by  all  those  who  realize  the  fact  that 
the  world  has  come  to  believe  fully  in  the 
Italian  maxim  that  "Silence  makes  confession." 
The  South  has  been  virtually  silent  for  twenty 
years  respecting  the  slanders  that  have  been 
and   are   being  heaped   upon   her   by  every  type 

5 


6  PREFACE. 

of  the  radical  Puritan  notoriety-seeker,  from  him 
who  writes  himself  a  Fool  with  a  capital  "  F," 
down  to  the  less  ambitious  and  less  egotistical 
creatures  who  are  content  to  wait  for  an  intel- 
ligent public  to  apply  that  appropriate  epithet, 
and  to  spell  it  with  a  lower-case  initial  letter. 

This  patient,  long-suflfering  silence,  this  with- 
holding of  the  antidote  to  the  poison  of  fanatical 
prejudice,  is  a  crime  against  the  children  of  the 
heroes,  dead  and  living,  of  our  land,  and  does 
not  appeal  to  the  magnanimity,  or  to  the  sense 
of  propriety  of  our  traducers  in  "  God's  Country." 
On  the  contrary,  it  seems  only  to  stimulate  those 
heaven-favored  mortals  to  renewed  and  more 
lively  efforts,  until  now  scarcely  a  divinely 
inspired  penny-a-liner  can  speak  of  the  South 
without  indulging  in  what  is  intended  for  and 
what  is  fondly,  and  perhaps  piously,  believed  to 
be,  clever  witticisms  or  stinging  sarcasms  upon 
our  humanity,  Christianity,  civilization,  and 
social  characteristics. 

These  busy  bees  that  gather  honey  from  the 
stamens  of   the  Upas  remind  us  of  a  little   mob 


PREFACE. 


of  boot-blacks  which  we  once  saw  plotting 
against  the  peace  and  happiness  of  a  mason's 
apprentice  with  whom  they  had  had  a  difficulty, 
and  who  was  sitting  at  the  foot  of  a  scaffolding 
near  by,  tenderly  cradling  his  right  hand  in  his 
left,  while  his  facial  expression,  and  the  silent 
tears  coursing  down  his  cheeks,  told  that  he  was 
suffering  physical  pain.  "  Come  on,  Bill,"  said 
one  of  the  little  "  shiners  "  to  the  leader  of  the 
mob;  '4e's  go  an'  sass  him!  Tell  him  his  pap 
was  a  sneak-thief,  an'  his  mam  wuss'n  that. 
He  can't  hurt  nobody ;  his  right  thumb  is  out 
o'  jint."  To  the  average  mind  in  the  South  it 
seems  strange  that  so  many  of  the  literati — some 
of  them  properly  so-called — in  "  God's  Country," 
should  evince  such  entire  want  of  Christian 
charity  toward  their  silent  and  passive  brothers 
whose  "right  thumb  is  out  o'  jint,"  and  who 
certainly  meant  no  offense  by  being  born  in  a 
different  section,  which,  however,  they  respect- 
fully insist  is  not  the  devil's  country. 

It   is   earnestly  hoped   that    nothing  in    these 
pages  will  offend  any  fair-minded  lover  of  truth 


8  PEEFACE. 

and  right  and  fair  play,  whether  the  "accident 
of  birth "  shall  have  made  him  a  much-to-be- 
envied  inhabitant  of  "  God's  Country,"  or  only 
an  "outside  barbarian."  To  those  who  may 
take  umbrage  at  plain  statements  of  plain 
truths,  or  at  flat  denials  of  popular  errors  and 
falsehoods,  we  can  only  say,  regretfully :  Gentle- 
men, we  mean  no  offense,  but  we  love  truth, 
not  only  for  its  own  sake,  but  also  because  it 
vindicates  us.  ,We  sit  at  the  foot  of  the 
scaffolding  by  means  of  which  that  magnificent 
structure,  the  New  South,  is  being  erected,  but 
we  have  dried  our  tears  and  washed  our  face ; 
the  light  of  hope  beams  from  our  eyes,  and  our 
right  thumb  is  quite  well,  we  thank  you. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE 

"Ranting  Rebels," 15 


CHAPTER  n. 
Foul  Conspiracy, 36 

CHAPTER  in. 
An  Eccentric  Acquaintance, 47 

CHAPTER  IV. 
A  Gentle  Puritan, 60 

CHAPTER  V. 
A  Southern  Home, 77 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Seeking  Love  and  Finding  only  Politics, 91 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Counter  Conspiracy, 102 

CHAPTER  Vni. 

The  Fibst  Ku-Klux  Outrage, 115 

9 


10  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

PAGE 

A  PiTBiTAN  Slaveholder, 133 

CHAPTER  X. 
Mars,  Terpsichore  and  Cupid, 143 

CHAPTER  XI. 
A  Lost  Clan, 159 

CHAPTER  XII. 
Tadpoles  and  Water-Squarapins, 171 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
The  Old,  Old  Story, 181 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
The  Darling  Image  in  Plastic  Clay, 200 

CHAPTER  XV. 
The  Harp  is  on  the  Willow, 218 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
Grim-Visaged  War, 240 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Love  and  Ethnology, 266 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Warfare  or  Brigandage? 278 

CHAPTER  XIX. 


« 


Extending  Military  Operations,    . 296 


CONTENTS.  H 

CHAPTEK  XX. 

PAGE 

Gettysburg, 313 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
A  Borrowed  Picture, 33% 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
Prison  Life  and  Amusements, 353 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
A  Lull  in  the  Storm, 367 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 
Home  Again  I 391 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
Beginning  Anew, 407 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 
Trouble  Brewing, -  425 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 
The  Mission  School — A  New  Teacher, 437 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
A  Prophet  Without  Honor  Speaks, 457 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 
Authorized  Outlawry  and  Lawless  Justice, 470 

CHAPTER  XXX. 
Lex  Non  Scripta, 482 


12  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTEE  XXXI. 

PAGE 

A  Holy  Appahition, 499 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

"Knights  op  the  Lost  Clan"  versus  "Fellows  of  the 
Red-Stbino  Gang," 620 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 
A  Gband  Ku-Klux  Outkage, 535 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
Terkible  Mysteby, 554 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 
AcBoss  THE  Water, 563 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
Inter  Spem  et  Metum! 677 

Epilogue,      595 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Grand  Ku-Klux  Outrage Frontispiece 

The  Slave  Mart 29 

King  Cotton 35 

"  He  is  free  from  care  " 58 

Mammy  at  Home 84 

The  First  Ku-Klux  Outrage 127 

The  Pic-nic  Grounds 144 

"Selim" 158 

Pure  as  the  Lily 170 

Seeking  More  Light •.    .  172 

An  Up-Country  Cotton  Press 199 

"Dick" 217 

"On  to  Kichmond"  under  difficulties 226 

Piedmont  Station 229 

"Where  are  the  Rebels?" 238 

"Where's  GeneralJohnson?" 249 

General  Robert  E.  Lee 260 

Headquarters  on  the  Field 265 

Mr.  Deaderick's  Home 276 

General  Turchin  enters  Barrensville 281 

The  Atheneum 289 

Desolation 295 

13 


14  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

War-Swept  Fields 312 

"PassUnder  the  Flag!" 321 

Being  Driven 327 

After  the  Battle 332 

Stewart  under  Conrad's  Care 335 

Harvested 337 

Sherman's  Marooning  Party  in  Georgia  . 349 

A  Future  Politician 352 

At  the  Opera 373 

Mammy's  Portrait 424 

One  of  **de  lost  sheep  o' Israel" 436 

The  Tempter  at  Work 478 

The  Head  of  the  Government 498 

"One  mo' short  pra'r" 506 

Peace  and  Home 519 

Mardi-Gras 547 

In  full  Ketreat 553 

The  Sugar  Belt 560 

Rest 562 

Horace  Greeley  and  Dick 589 

Stilled 591 

Hope  for  the  Future 592 

The  Dream  of  Peace 594 


THORNS  IN  THE  FLESH, 


CHAPTER  I. 
"Ranting  Rebels." 

"What  is  truth f — a  staff  rejected." — Wordsworth. 

"Better  to  sink  beneath  the  shock 
Than  moulder  piecemeal  on  the  rock." — Byron. 

ON  a  bright  spring  morning  of  the  year  Eighteen 
Hundred  and  Sixty-one^  a  half  dozen  young 
men  were  collected,  in  apparently  solemn  conclave, 
upon  the  platform  of  a  way-station  of  the  Memphis 
and  Charleston  railway,  where  that  great  artery  of 
traffic  sweeps  through  the  remarkably  beautiful  and 
fertile  portion  of  North  Alabama,  known  as  the  Ten- 
nessee Valley. 

In  front  of  the  station,  and  extending  southward  for 
several  miles  to  the  greenish-gray  background  of  sturdy 
oaks,  interspersed  with  hickory,  walnut,  sweet-gum,  elm, 
sycamore  and  beech,  which  skirt  the  swamp,  lie  some 
thousands  of  acres  of  cultivated  land.  Every  foot  of 
this  broad  expanse,  even  including  the  inner  corners  of 
the  primitive  "worm''  fences  which  partitioned  the 
domains  of  different  proprietors,  was  neatly  prepared  for 
the  growth  of  the  "staff  of  life"  or  the  production  of  the 

15 


16  RANTING   REBELS. 

great  "  King  crop  of  the  South,"  Cotton — that  blessing 
to  civilization,  but  bane  to  all  hope  of  the  adoption, 
by  the  master  class,  of  a  system  of  free  labor. 

A  bird's-eye  view  of  the  landscape  presented  the  appear- 
ance of  a  maromoth  chess-board,  upon  the  squares  of 
which,  instead  of  "castles  strong '^  and  "knights  of  high 
degree,"  were,  here  and  there,  "gangs"  of  negro  slaves 
busily  engaged  in  "bedding  land,"  "opening  drills," 
"  planting  cotton,"  by  sowing  the  seed  in  the  drills  with 
a  quick,  lively  motion,  resembling  the  prelusive  feints 
of  a  javelin-thrower,  or  "siding  and  thinning"  the 
tender  young  corn  which  was  already  "  hand-high ; "  while 
occasionally  some  stalwart  son  of  Ham,  feeling  a 
sudden  flow  of  exuberant  animal  spirits,  would  shout,  in 
a  chanting  monotone,  a  challenge,  always  amusing  and 
often  witty,  to  the  laggards  of  the  field,  to  "get  out  of 
the  ashes"  and  show  their  prowess  with  the  plow, 
"  follow-block  "  or  seed-bag. 

As  interesting  as  the  scene  would  have  been  to  one 
disposed  to  allow  his  eyes  and  thoughts  to  rest  upon  it, 
the  young  loungers  at  the  station  did  not  deign  to  give  it 
one  glance,  and  seemed  to  be  all  unconscious  that  nature 
had  put  on  one  of  her  brightest  smiles,  and  had  wooed 
every  living  creature,  brute  and  human,  into  cheerfulness, 
save  only  themselves  and  the  solemn-looking  little  old 
gentleman,  with  a  military  air  and  side  whiskers,  the 
worthy  station  agent,  who  was  dispensing  the  news  col- 
lected from  the  Northern  papers  which  a  kind-hearted 
conductor,  a  native  of  New  England,  had  left  him  the 
day  before.  The  old  gentleman  read  and  commented  in 
a  solemn  tone,  until  finally  one  of  the  young  listeners 
uttered  an  indignant  shout  of  protest  with  the  exclar 
mation :  ogf 

NcU 


"a  fanatical  faction."  17 

"  Hold  up,  Major !     In  the  name  of  mercy,  give  it  to 
us  in   broken    doses !      The    Tribune,   already  has   its 
Moloch  gaze  fixed  upon  us.     The  TinieSj  even  now  in 
fancy,  tastes  our  hot  blood.     The  Press,  in  its  nightly 
dreams,  chases  our  ^  cowardly  ragamuffins '  with  its  terri- 
ble ^shooting-stick,^    and  even  the  poor  little  Chicago 
Tribune  wants  to  pin  our  ears  back  and  make  big  Illinois 
gulp  us  down  head  and  heels  !     Major,  you  have  marched 
under  Uhe  old  flag^ — have  flashed  your  sword  in  the 
faces  of  a  foreign  foe,  and  those  flashes  have  added  a  ray 
of  glory  to  the  banner  you  love.     We  shall  not  quarrel 
with  you  if  you  decide  to  '  disperse.'     But  it  matters  not 
what  our  fathers  did  !     They  did  their  duty  in  their  times 
and  we  shall  do  our  duty  in  ours.     They  made  '  the  old 
flag '  to  represent  truth  and  honor,  and  we  all  loved  it !  It 
has  been  seized  by  a  fanatical  faction  and  prostituted  to 
the  purposes  of  political  wrong,  injustice  and  treachery 
toward  us,  and  we  spit  upon  it !     Could  the  spirits  of 
Washington  and  the  other  true  patriots  of  the  Revolu- 
tion return  to  earth  they  would  now  beat  it  down  with 
their  spectre  swords  with  greater  earnestness  than  charac- 
terized them  when,  in  the  flesh,  they  set  it  up  as  the 
emblem  of  a  virtuous  popular  sovereignty,  acting,  and 
to  act,  under  the  necessary  and  wise  rules  and  restrictions 
of  a  written   constitution.     And   could   the   spirit   of 
Patrick  Henry  descend  upon  me,  I  would  make  you  all 
a  speech — ha,  ha  !     But  come ;  we  will  go  around  to 
Smith's  and  have  a  few  bottles  of  his  sparkling  Catawba 
to  brace  up  with.     The  train  is  an  hour  overdue.     I  fear 
some  accident  has  befallen.     Ha !   here  comes  Howard 
across  the  field,  looking  as  bright  and  happy  as  if  he 
hadn't  seen  a  Northern  newspaper  since  virtuous  Massa- 
chusetts sent  us  her  slaves." 

2 


J 


18  E ANTING   REBELS. 

All  eyes  were  turned  in  the  direction  indicated  by  the 
speaker,  where  a  tall,  handsome  man,  apparently  about 
forty  years  of  age  and  mounted  upon  a  graceful,  trim- 
looking  "  himter,"  was  cantering  leisurely  along  a  "  turn- 
row  '^  in  the  field  of  cotton  beds  that  lead  to  the  railway 
at  a  point  opposite  the  station.  Nearing  the  fence  he 
touched  his  broad  felt  hat  in  a  half-military  salute,  and 
exclaimed  : 

"  Hello  boys  !  What^s  up  ?  Plotting  against  ^  the  best 
government  the  world  ever  saw  ^  ?  '^ 

•^^  No  ;"  replied  young  Flournoy,  the  first  speaker  ; 
"  our  plots  would  avail  nothing  against  the  plotting 
fanatics  and  howling  press  which  have  assumed  that 
grandiloquent  title.  We  are  waiting  to  greet  Stewart. 
Fox  expects  him  on  this  train,  now  long  overdue,  and 
we  have  ridden  over  to  satisfy  ourselves  that  he  has  not 
been  roasted  on  Salem  hill,  as  a  ^damnable  Sadducee,' 
or  one  of  the  ^  locusts  from  the  pit.' " 

"Ah  !  Stewart  coming  to-day?  Glad  to  hear  it !  He 
will  bring  us  some  fresh  and  reliable  news  from  our  friends 
over  the  border  with  volcanic  heads  and  Icelandic  hearts.'' 

"  Oh,  there  is  news  enough  that  is  fresh  and  reliable ! 
Some  of  it  has  an  excess  of  the  first  quality — freshness." 

"  Let's  have  it." 

"Why  the  President  of  our  neighbor,  the  United 
States,  has  called  for  seventy-five  thousand  troops,  and 
the  papers  say  there  are  indications  that  ^  the  chivalry  ' 
will  not  stand  long  enough  to  give  one-third  of  that 
number  a  good  half-day's  sport !  " 

"  The  latter  part  of  that  is  fresh  in  one  sense,  but  it's 
all  as  old  as  the  hills — I  heard  it  yesterday.  What  in 
the  name  of  all  that  is  terrible  can  he  want  with  such  an 
immense  army  ?  " 


"that  feaeful  army."  19 

"  He  doesn't  want  to  take  two  bites  at  a  cherr\%  I 
presume." 

"  Wants  to  wipe  us  off  the  face  of  the  earth  on  Mon- 
day and  sow  salt  on  Tuesday ;  eh  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no  !  The  papers  say  they  are  unwilling  to  have 
us  exterminated.  They  like  us  well  enough  in  our  place 
— as  the  money  purveyor  and  court  jester  to  the  '  Nation.' 
Only  one-third  of  that  fearful  army  is  to  be  used  ^  to  burn 
out  the  rats  in  Richmond ;'  one-third  is  to  be  ^  sent  to 
Cairo  to  seize  the  cotton  ports '  and  the  other  third  will 
be  used  as  a  sort  of  general-utility  force,  to  ^  police ' 
Washington  City, — clean  out  the  Augean  Stables,  I  pre- 
smne — and  to  deploy  along  the  gulf  coast,  as  a  skirmish 
line  and  picket-guard  combined,  to  prevent  the '  chivalry ' 
from  stampeding  into  the  gulf  and  leaving  none  to  per- 
petuate an  eccentric  and  amusing  race." 

"  That's  a  good  idea,"  laughed  Mr.  Howard,  having 
hitched  his  horse  to  the  fence  and  coming  forward  to  join 
the  party,  "  I  shouldn't  be  surprised  if  it  should  ulti- 
mately be  demonstrated  that  those  people  really  do 
possess  some  philanthrophy.  That  looks  like  it,  but  as 
far  as  I  am  concerned,  1  had  about  as  soon  drown  myself 
trying  to  escape  from  a  terrible  terror  as  to  be  frightened 
to  death  trying  to  face  it." 

"  Yes,  the  effect  upon  the  future  history  of  the  world 
would  be  substantially  the  same  in  either  case.  But 
come ;  we  are  going  around  to  Smith's  to  have  some 
sparkling  Catawba.  By-the-by,  that  old  turnip-juice 
brewer,  Longworth,  says  he  can  take  his  pestle-handlers 
and  whip  out  little  South  Carolina.  And  he  seems 
anxious,  too,  to  take  a  contract  to  do  that  little  job  as 
his  part  of  the  work  to  be  done  in  '  wiping  out  the 
rebellion.' " 


20  HANTING   REBELS. 

"  And  as  you  don't  hope  for  an  opportunity  to  punish 
him  for  his  impudence,  you  will  imitate  ^  Cousin  Joe/ 
in  the  ^  Rough  Diamond/  and  take  your  revenge  out  of 
his  wine,  eh?" 

"  Yes,  but  wouldn't  it  be  fun  to  see  Fox  here,  with  a 
dozen  or  so  ^  Spirits  of  the  Lost  Clan  '  turned  loose  on 
the  old  cider  brewer  and  his  whole  tribe  of  bottle-wash- 
ers and  pestle-handlers  for  about  ten  minutes  !  Ha,  ha  I 
It  would  be  worth  a  trip  up  there  to  see  the  fun ! " 

"  Ah,  boys  ! ''  said  the  new-comer,  **  you  young  bloods 
can  laugh  and  have  your  fun,  and  we  older  heads  can 
join  you  at  present,  but  I  fear  the  time  is  rapidly 
approaching  when  there  will  be  very  little  laughing  for 
any  of  us  to  do.  All  history  teaches  that  civil  war  is  a 
terrible  thing,  and  we  must  not  cheat  ourselves  into  the 
belief  that  ours  is  to  be  an  exception  to  the  rule.  There 
is  but  one  thing  in  our  favor.  We  possess  a  higher  civ- 
ilization— North,  as  well  as  South — than  was  ever  known 
to  any  people  who  engaged  in  civil  strife  on  a  large  scale. 
But  there  is  danger  that,  in  the  heat  of  passion,  which 
is  already  very  great  at  the  North,  and  which  must 
necessarily  be  greatly  intensified  by  future  conflict,  the 
promptings  of  a  high  civilization  may  be  disregarded. 
There  is  much  more  danger  of  this  at  the  North  than  at 
the  South,  for,  besides  the  diiferent  qualities  of  the  two 
>l  civilizations,  resulting  chiefly  from  Puritan  religionism 
having  been  substituted  for  Christianity, — those  people 
are,  of  course,  destined  to  be  grievously  disappointed  in 
their  present  silly  expectations  of  achieving  a  cheap  and 
easy  victory  ;  and  under  the  humiliating  sting  of  that 
disappointment  there  is  danger  that  factions,  communities 
and  parties,  up  there,  may  surrender  themselves  to  the 
'svild  and  reckless  leadership  of  such  miserable  fanatics  as 


\J 


"three  years  or  the  war/'  21 

Wendell  Phillips,  ^the  infernal  machine  set  to  music/ 
Thad.  Stevens,  the  evil  spuke  with  a  monk's  visage,  and 
thousands  of  other  and  similar  sons  of  the  Evil  One,  who 
wear  the  cloak  and  mask  of  Christianity  and  philanthro- 
phy,  and  hate  us, — for  the  conceited  bigot's  best  reason 
— because  we  laugh  at  their  sanctimonious  hypocrisy ;  or, 
if  they  make  no  pretensions  in  that  direction,  because  we 
ridicule  their  advanced  ideas — by  them  so-called. 

"  We  can  laugh,  boys,  at  Mr.  Lincoln's  seventy-five 
thousand  troops,  and  can  feel  an  amused  contempt  for 
the  expressed  views  and  ideas  of  certain  leading  periodi- 
cals and  men  respecting  our  military  prowess ;  but  we 
should  prove  ourselves  as  silly  as  our  traducers  should 
we  fail  to  appreciate  the  magnitude  of  the  undertaking 
before  us,  or  close  our  eyes  to  the  immense  superiority 
of  the  ISTorth  over  us,  in  all  things  that  go  to  insure  suc- 
cess in  a  great  war,  except  spirit,  devotion,  military  apti- 
tude and  a  just  cause ;  for  we  have  what  we  believe  to 
be,  and  what  our  history  and  traditions  teach  us  is,  a 
just  cause.  And  we  have  a  devoted  population.  The 
ex-Secretary  of  War  is  our  only  public  man  who  has 
admitted  to  the  people  that  we  are  on  the  eve  of  such  a 
war  as  our  forefather's  fought  with  England  for  inde- 
pendence. It  may  be  that  many  of  our  leading  men  do 
not  think  so ;  but  the  people  do,  and,  as  a  proof  of  it, 
we  see  them  preferring  to  enlist  for  ^  three  years  or  the 
war,'  when  they  know  that  Federal  enlistments,  in  New 
England  and  other  sections,  are  being  made  for  only 
three  months.  If  our  leaders  are  as  determined  as  the 
people  generally,  we  can  never  be  conquered.  But  of 
course  it  is  possible  that  we  may  become  powerless  from 
exhaustion.  If  the  enemy  should  succeed  in  effectually 
blockading  our  coasts,  which  of  course  they  will  attempt, 


22  RANTING   REBELS. 

and  should  they  refuse  to  exchange  prisoners,  and  at  the 
same  time  vandalize  and  devastate  our  land,  which  I 
think  their  civilization — that  better  civilization  possessed 
by  the  great  majority  whom  the  Puritan  fanatics  are  now 
leading  by  the  nose — will  not  permit  them  to  do,  I  say 
if  these  things  should  be  accomplished,  done  and  perpe- 
trated toward  us,  then  it  would  become  a  mere  question 
of  time  with  us,  as  with  an  immense  besieged  fortress. 

^'  We  have  an  element  of  strength  which  our  enemies 
are  counting  on  as  an  element  of  the  greatest  possible 
weakness.  Our  negroes  will  feed  and  clothe  the  troops 
and  our  families  while  we  are  in  the  army.  The  radical 
press  predict  that  when  we  march  to  the  front  the  screams 
of  our  wives  and  children  being  butchered  and  outraged 
by  the  slaves,  and  the  smoke  of  our  burning  homes,  fired 
by  them,  will  cauge  our  troops  to  countermarch  much 
more  rapidly  than  they  marched  to  the  front ;  and  that 
the  terrible  seventy-five  thousand  will  have  nothing  to 
do  but  to  follow  on  and  hang  our  leaders.  Can  it  be 
'that  the  wish  is  father  to  the  thought?* 

"  How  little  do  our  fearfully  philanthropic  friends,  the 
Puritans,  understand  of  the  relations  existing  between 
master  and  slave  !  They  fondly  believe  that  our  civili- 
zation and  Christianity  have  failed  to  eliminate  from  the 
African's  bosom  his  fierce  natural  instincts,  and  that  they 
only  lie  dormant  awaiting  such  an  opportunity  for  deeds 
of  villainy  as  the  one  now  about  to  present  itself  Were 
the  negro  only  the  subdued  savage  which  they  believe 
him,  or  were  he  fired  Avith  a  feeling  of  animosity  toward 
the  white  people,  we  would  certainly  be  unable  to  wage 
even  the  ninety  days'  war,  the  Puritans  are  preparing 
for  with  so  much  of  mirth  and  hilarity. 

"  As  to  Mr.  Lincoln's  seventy-five  thousand  troops,  I 


"human  tkaffic."  23 

consider  that  call  only  as  a  feeler  for  the  North  and  a 
blind  for  the  South.  The  leaders  there  are  not  gibing 
idiots,  if  many  of  their  writers  are ;  and  their  best  men, 
those  who,  in  the  past,  have  mildly  protested  against 
political  outlawry  and  treachery,  will,  now  that  we  have 
declined  to  submit  to  such  outlawry  and  treachery  longer, 
strongly  urge  the  war  against  us ;  yet  not  because  they 
have  come  to  love  honor  and  fairdealing  less,  but  because 
they  believe  the  prosperity  of  their  country  will  be  put 
back  a  century,  or  permanently  destroyed,  if  a  powerful 
rival  shall  be  substituted  for  the  rich  and  good-natured 
customer,  the  South,  who  has  never  seriously  protested 
against  being  taxed,  by  protective  tariffs,  for  their  benefit ; 
and  who  has  paid  liberally,  in  cash  or  cotton,  for  manu- 
factures and  notions  which  she  might  have  produced  for 
herself,  to  say  nothing  of  such  untamed  Africans  as  the 
enterprising  Puritan  ship  owners  of  New  England  have 
been  able,  from  time  to  time,  to  smuggle  into  our  Gulf 
ports,  despite  our  vigilance  and  the  national  laws  ;  *  for 
the  Government  of  the  United  States  was  hardly  formed 
before  Virginia,  backed  by  other  Southern  States,  moved 
to  have  the  slave  trade  declared  piracy ;  and  finally  suc- 
ceeded, despite  the  opposition  of  New  England,  which 
section  found  the  human  traffic  exceedingly  profitable  to 
her  people,  and  has  never  forgiven  us  for  destroying,  in 

*  In  the  early  Spring  of  the  year  1861,  Midshipman  McCook,  son 
— or  nephew — of  Major  McCook,  U.  S.  A. — afterward  a  Maj.  Gen- 
eral on  the  " Union "  side — ^T;\as  in  Richmond,  Va.,  attending  the 
sitting  of  the  United  States  Court  there,  as  a  witness  against  the 
Captain  and  crew  of  a  slaver  which  his  vessel,  the  San  Jacinto,  had 
captured,  crowded  with  Africans,  "  packed  almost  like  sardines  in  a 
box,"  as  Mr.  McCook  expressed  it,  and  bound  for  the  Gulf  coast  of 
Louisiana.  The  poor  creatures  were  taken  back,  sent  up  the  Congo 
River  and  libemted ;  and  a  crew  was  furnished  from  the  San  Jacintoj 


24  BANTING   REBELS. 

a  measure,  that  lucrative  business,  which  was  exclusively 
their  own,  and  forcing  those  of  them  who  have  continued 
it,  to  assume  the  position  of  pirates  in  the  eyes  of  the 
national  law. 

"As  regards  our  easy  subjugation  we  know  that  the 
North  is  very  powerful  in  money  and  munitions  of  war, 
and  if,  behind  the  little  army  the  President  has  called 
for,  she  shall  march  upon  us  half  a  million  of  disciplined 
troops,  and  do  it  before  the  close  of  this  present  year,  it 
is  possible  that,  destitute  as  w^e  are  of  the  appliances  of 
war,  and  without  time  to  procure  or  manufacture  them, 
we  may  be  driven  into  the  Gulf.  If  so,  however,  we 
will  not  go  like  ^dumb,  driven  cattle.'  We  will  adopt 
old  'Scorch'  Isom's  tactics  when  the  Gourdsville  boys 
doubled  on  him ;  we  will  '  advance  backward'  into  the 
briny  tide  and  die  with  our  'backs  to  the  flood  and  feet 
to  the  foe.' " 

"Huzza!  Three  cheers!  Score  one  for  Howard!" 
exclaimed  the  party,  laughing  and  clapping  their  hands. 
"  Didn't  know  you  were  an  orator,  old  fellow !  Or  a 
politician !  Or  a  strategist — and  such  a  strategist !  We 
mustn't  lose  your  talents ;  we  mil  have  to  make  you  a 
grand  mogul ;  and  as  a  beginning  we  shall  press  you 
into  service  as  the  captain  of  our  company ! " 

"Thanks — ^thanks,    boys!"     replied   the   gentleman, 

under  the  command  of  Mr.  McCook,  to  take  the  captured  vessel, 
officers  and  crew  to  Norfolk,  Va.  Mr.  McCook  stated  to  Dr.  Gran- 
ville E.  Lewis,  a  gentleman  of  the  highest  character, — who,  at  this 
writing,  is  the  universally  esteemed  and  respected  Superintendent  of 
the  Lynchburg,  Va.,  Female  Orphan  Asylum, — that  the  vessel  was 
owned  wholly  by  Boston  capitalists, — philanthropists  of  course, — and 
that  the  officers  and  crew  were  all  New  Englanders,  and  were,  most 
of  them,  from  Boston,  New  Bedford,  and  Marblehead,  in  Massachu- 
setts.   Ah  I  the  terrible  "  sin  of  slavery ! " 


"that  cadaverous-looking  fellow."       25 

laughing.  "But  what  has  become  of  that  righteous 
indignation  which  you  invited  me  to  help  vent  on  old 
Longworth  through  his  wine  ?  '^ 

"  True ;  let  us  go,"  said  Mr.  Flournoy.  "  But  did  any 
of  you  know  that  cadaverous-looking  fellow  who  stood 
near  the  end  of  the  platform  a  moment  since  with  a  car- 
pet-bag in  his  hand  ?" 

"  No ;  he^s  a  stranger,"  replied  one  of  the  party.  "  A 
book  agent  or  a  patent-right  tramp,  no  doubt.  He 
seemed  very  much  interested  in  a  portion  of  Howard's 
high-treason  oration,  but  did  not  look  as  if  he  fully 
approved  some  of  the  sentiments." 

"Oh,  I  say.  Fox,"  said  Mr.  Flournoy  to  a  tall,  fine- 
looking  member  of  the  party,  with  dark  skin  and  very 
black  hair,  "  can't  you  ride  Howard's  horse  around  to  the 
hotel  ?  We  are  going  to  make  him  stay  with  us  to 
greet  Monsh.  We  will  await  you  at  Smith's,  for,  as  you 
are  the  ^  Cyclops'  of  the  ^  Clan,'  you  must  lead  us  in  this 
onslaught." 

"  Certainly,"  replied  the  individual  addressed,  "  I  will 
ride  the  horse  around,  but  pray  excuse  me  from  partaking 
of  the  wine.  Were  it  the  brewer  I  would  gladly  lead ;  but 
the  non-arrival  of  the  train  makes  me  verv  solicitous 
about  Monsieur ;  I  fear  there  has  been  an  accident." 

"  Oh,  nothing  of  the  kind  !  Monsh  is  all  right.  The 
trains  are  rarely  on  time  since  our  political  hubbub 
began.     We  shall  expect  you." 

While  the  merry  "  rebels"  are  amusing  themselves  at 
Mr.  Longworth's  expense,  except  so  far  as  one  hundred 
per  cent,  added  to  the  cash  value  of  the  wine  is  concerned, 
we  shall  take  occasion  to  introduce  the  individual 
addressed  as  Fox.  First,  however,  we  will  introduce 
"the  young  master,"  for  Fox  is  a  slave. 


2(^  RANTING    REBELS. 

Charles  A.  Stewart,  the  gentleman  whose  arrival  is 
expected,  is  the  son  of  a  wealthy  and  prominent  family 
in  Virginia.  Having  graduated  at  the  University  of 
his  native  State  in  the  twenty-second  year  of  his  age,  and 
having  determined  to  live  the  simple  and  uneventful  life 
of  a  planter,  he  was  given  by  his  father  the  best  planta- 
tion that  could  be  purchased  in  the  distant  land  of  North 
Alabama,  where  he  had  relatives  residing,  with  permis- 
sion to  recruit  fifty  slaves  from  the  Virginia  farms  and 
remove  them,  as  his  own,  to  the  land  of  his  choice. 
During  the  first  four  years  of  his  domiciliation  in  Ala- 
bama he  has  become  widely  known  among  the  young 
gentlemen  as  a  daring  rider,  the  most  accomplished  ath- 
lete, the  best  shot  and  the  most  indefatigable  fox-hunter 
in  the  Tennessee  Valley,  and  among  the  ladies  as  a  true 
and  chivalrous  friend. 

"Fox"  is  a  nick-name,  the  real  name  of  the  indi- 
vidual, w^ho  is  of  French  origin,  being  Cesare — Cesare 
Revnard  D'Elfons.  His  mother  was  an  octoroon  slave, 
but,  one-half  of  her  base  blood  having  been  derived  from 
the  Indians,  she  had  straight  black  hair,  which  she  trans- 
mitted to  her  two  children.  She  had  been  the  property 
of  a  proud  and  haughty  old  French  gentleman,  who 
resided  in  New  Orleans,  and  who,  having  been  excluded 
for  cause  from  association  with  the  better  class  of  his 
people,  became  a  misanthrope,  and  spent  the  last  ten  or 
twelve  years  of  his  life  in  great  seclusion,  seeming  to 
take  pleasure  in  nothing,  after  his  children  became  old 
enough  to  begin  their  education,  but  in  assisting  or  super- 
intending the  masters  employed  for  them,  and  in  having 
the  little  girl  to  sing  those  plaintive  French  ballads 
which  one  may  hear  on  any  bright,  pleasant  night  in  the 
Creole  portion  of  the  Crescent  City. 


^'unhappy  octoroons."  27 

It  was  taken  for  granted  by  the  few  who  visited  the 
elegant  D'Elfons  mansion,  which  does  not  stand  in  the 
French  portion  of  the  city,  that  Cesare  and  Marienne 
were  to  be  the  heirs  to  his  great  wealth.  But  after  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  a  steamboat  disaster  on  Lake 
Pontchartrain,  the  few  humble  friends  of  the  unhappy 
octoroon  and  her  children  were  surprised  to  learn  that  no 
papers,  of  any  value  to  the  family,  could  be  found  ;  not 
even  deeds  of  manumission  from  slavery.  An  effort  was 
made  by  the  humble  friends  of  the  woman,  and  by  a  few 
of  the  more  influential  friends  of  the  haughty  old  French- 
man, to  induce  the  heir-at-law,  a  very  rich  and  miserly 
banker,  to  liberate  and  provide  for  the  family,  but  with- 
out avail. 

This  heir-at-law  was  supposed  to  be  the  only  living 
relative  of  the  deceased.  He  so  represented  himself,  and 
the  usual  legal  advertising  in  such  cases  failed  to  bring  to 
light  any  other.  He  was  but  a  few  years  younger  than 
the  old  gentleman,  and  had  come  to  New  Orleans  ten 
years  previously  from  France,  poor  and  in  need,  but  with 
papers  to  prove  himself  the  old  gentleman's  nephew,  the 
son  of  a  half-brother,  his  only  near  relative  who  had  left 
a  representative. 

As  his  arrival  was  a  short  time  after  the  old  gentle- 
man's seclusion,  or  exclusion  from  society,  he  was  wel- 
comed Tvith  open  arms,  and  was  made  a  partner  in  the 
extensive  banking  business,  out  of  which  the  old  man 
had  made  his  large  fortune.  Very  soon  the  partner 
developed  great  financial  ability,  and  in  the  course  of  a 
few  years  the  business  was  given  up  to  his  exclusive  con- 
trol, and  he  enjoyed  all  the  powers  and  privileges  which 
an  unlimited  confidence  and  esteem  could  bestow. 

There  were  none,  who  knew  the  old  gentleman,  who 


28  RANTING   REBELS. 

believed  it  was  his  intention  to  leave  the  woman  and 
her  children  in  bondage ;  but  the  most  thorough  search, 
by  the  proper  officials,  failed  to  discover  any  paper  bear- 
ing on  the  matter ;  and  a  few  days  after  the  unsuccessful 
appeal  had  been  made  to  this  unnatural  relative,  he  sent 
them  to  the  slave  mart  with  the  instruction  that  they 
were  to  be  sold  as  a  family  to  some  one  residing  beyond 
the  limits  of  the  state. 

Colonel  Stewart,  father  of  the  young  gentleman 
whom  we  have  introduced,  chanced  to  be  residing  tem- 
porarily at  the  St.  Charles  Hotel,  and  having  heard  the 
sad  history  of  this  little  family,  was  prompted  by 
curiosity  and  sympathy  to  visit  them  at  the  mart.  He 
introduced  himself  to  the  proprietor,  a  Mr.  Goodrich, 
with  the  assurance  that  he  was  prompted  chiefly  by  idle 
curiosity  in  making  this  visit,  as  he  had  never  before 
visited  such  an  institution. 

"  Well,"  said  the  proprietor,  ^^  as  you're  all  the  way 
from  Yirginny,  if  you'd  as  soon  pick  up  a  bargain,  when 
you  find  one,  as  not,  l\e  some  blooded  stock  here,  sich 
as  you  don't  see  twice  in  a  lifetime.  French — real 
poUy-voo  aristocrats — and  a  dead  sacrifice,  because  they 
mustn't  live  in  the  same  state  with  their  loving  cousin. 
Come  this  way.  Here,  Marteel,"  he  added,  to  a  demure- 
looking  woman  showing  scarcely  a  trace  of  negro  blood, 
and  who  was  engaged  upon  some  fine  embroidery,  "  tell 
this  old  gentleman  what  you're  good  for." 

The  woman  looked  up,  and  a  blush  suffiised  her 
cheeks  as  her  glance  met  Colonel  Stewart's  sympathizing 
gaze. 

"What  is  your  name,  my  good  woman?"  asked  the 
old  gentleman,  kindly. 

"  Mathilde,  sir." 


3 
P 

3 


g 
» 


so 

p 


■5        i 


"come  here,  little  black  eyes."  31 

"  Have  you  no  other  name  ?  " 

"My  father's  name  was  Copeland — he  belonged  to 
Judge  Copeland's  estate — and  I  cannot  prove  my  right 
to  bear  any  other  name,  sir.'' 

"  Well,  go  on,"  said  the  dealer,  "and  tell  what  you're 
good  for — sew,  stitch,  hem,  embroider,  keep  house,  fix 
up  fine  doings,  wait  on  ladies,  dress  hair,  and  so  on, 
et  cetery.  Healthy,  too — sound  as  a  dollar.  Here, 
Marteel,  let's  see  your  teeth — all  white  and  sound,  aren't 
they?" 

"  Never  mind  ! "  said  the  gentleman,  as  a  deep  flush 
suffused  the  poor  woman's  cheeks.  "  Is  this  sprightly 
youth  your  son  ?  " 

"Yes,  that  is  her  son,"  said  the  dealer,  "and  as 
lively  a  little  French  imp  as  ever  you  set  eyes  on. 
Here,  Seezar,  trot  out  and  give  your  p'ints.  What  are 
you  good  for  ?  " 

"  I  can  read  and  write  French,  English  and  Latin 
correctly,"  said  the  boy,  brightening  up  as  he  got  a 
nearer  view  of  Colonel  Stewart's  benevolent  countenance ; 
"am  a  fair,  arithmetician  and  book-keeper,  and  know 
how  to  transact  business." 

"Well,"  said  the  dealer,  contemptuously,  "what  is 
the  good  of  all  them  gimcracks  on  a  farm  ?  Tell  what 
you  can  do  to  earn  your  '  hog  and  hominy '  on  a  Vir- 
ginny  plantation.     Talk  up  lively  ! " 

"Never  mind,"  said  Colonel  Stewart,  kindly,  seeing 
the  youth  at  a  loss  for  a  reply.  "  Is  this  your  little  sister  ? 
She  resembles  you.  Come  here,  little  black-eyes,"  he 
said,  addressing  the  child,  "  and  let's  get  acquainted." 

The  little  girl  gradually  lost  the  frowning  countenance 
with  which  she  had  quit  her  doll's  bed-quilt  work,  to 
observe  the   movements  and  countenance  of  the  new- 


32  BANTING   EEBELS. 

comer ;  and  when  he  smiled  on  her  and  held  out  his 
hand,  she  seemed  suddenly  to  lose  control  of  herself, 
and  springing  into  his  arms,  she  hid  her  head  in  his 
bosom,  and  sobbed  convulsively. 

"  Hoity-toity,  little  miss  !  '^  exclaimed  the  dealer,  "  you 
mustn^t  take  liberties !  Mary  Ann !  child !  behave 
yourself ! " 

"  My  name  isn't  Mary  Ann !  '^  said  the  little  girl, 
looking  up  into  Colonel  Stewart's  eyes,  as  he  stroked 
her  hair,  soothingly.  ^' It  is  Marienne  —  Marienne 
Beatrice  D'Elfons — and  my  papa  was  a  gentleman.  If 
he  wasn't  dead  he  would  take  us  away  from  here.  Will 
you  take  us  away,  sir  ?  Mamma  will  warm  your  slip- 
pers, Cesare  will  read  to  you,  and  I  will  make  a  big  bed- 
quilt  for  you."    ' 

"  My  child,"  said  the  old  gentleman,  gravely,  "  you 
wouldn't  like  to  live  in  Virginia,  where  there  are  no 
orange  blossoms,  no  cape-jasmin,  and  but  few  magno- 
lias, and  where  the  whole  face  of  the  earth  is  often 
covered  with  snow  and  ice  !" 

"  I  don't  like  the  cold,  sir,  but  I  like  you,"  said  the 
child,  naively.  "You  are  so  different  from — "  she 
glanced  at  the  dealer,  and,  being  unable  to  finish  the 
sentence,  hung  her  head  in  confusion. 

"  Oh,  talk  it  out,  little  one ! "  laughed  the  dealer. 
^*  Of  course  the  gentleman  is  different  to  me.  He  don't 
have  to  make  his  livin'  sellin'  niggers.  I  feel  sorry  for 
you,  too,  as  you  ain't  used  to  it ;  but  business  is  busi- 
ness. As  you  like  the  gentleman,  I'll  knock  off  a  hun- 
dred dollars — all  my  profit — on  account  of  your  poor 
little  pitiful  face  hantin'  me  around  so.  And  when  you 
get  to  Virginny,  if  there  aint  no  orange  blossoms  and 
cape-jessymins  in  the  winter  time,  you  can  have  lots  of 


"the  newly-pukchased  slaves."         33 

fun  skeetin'  on  the  ice,  as  I  used  to  do  up  to  Boston 
when  I  was  as  little  and  as  innercent  as  you  are/' 

"  Will  you  take  us,  sir  ?  ^'  asked  the  child,  looking 
appealingly  into  the  old  gentleman's  eyes. 

"  First  see  if  your  mother  approves  your  judgment, 
my  child,"  said  the  old  gentleman,  patting  her  head 
gently,  "  and  I  mil  have  a  talk  with  Mr.  Goodrich." 

Scarcely  were  these  words  uttered  before  Cesare  seized 
the  speaker's  hand,  and  with  the  impulsiveness  peculiar 
to  his  blood,  bent  low  and  pressed  it  against  his  cheek. 

"  Ah  !  Monsieur,"  he  exclaimed,  "  you  will  take  us  ! 
You  feel  pity  for  my  poor  little  sister  and  my  heart- 
broken mother,  and  my  heart  shall  give  you  its  best  love 
and  service ! " 

After  a  short  interview  with  Mr.  Goodrich  and  a  talk 
with  the  mother.  Col.  Stewart  returned  to  the  hotel 
accompanied  by  Cesare,  and  the  next  day  the  mother 
and  child  were  removed  to  the  servant's  quarters  at  the 
hotel,  and  put  in  charge  of  Mrs.  Stew^art's  apartments. 

Life  in  the  Virginia  mansion  was  made  as  pleasant 
for  the  newly-purchased  slaves  as  was  possible  under  the 
circumstances,  and  two  years  after  their  admittance  into 
the  household.  Fox  accompanied  the  young  master  to 
the  University  of  Virginia,  in  the  double,  and  not 
unusual,  capacity  of  valet  and  confidential  friend  and 
adviser. 

During  the  prosecution  of  his  studies  the  young  mas- 
ter was  stricken  down  with  a  severe  epidemic  fever,  and 
Fox  having  written  for  Col.  and  Mrs.  Stewart,  by  the 
advice  of  the  attending  physician,  the  patient  Mathilde 
responded,  in  place  of  the  mother,  who  was  too  delicate, 
at  the  time,  to  undertake  the  trip,  and  for  weeks  she 
nursed  the  young  sufferer  with  a  mother's  solicitude,  ten- 


34  RANTING  REBEI^. 

derness  and  hopefulness,  when  it  seemed  that  no  human 
aid  could  stay  the  ebb-tide  of  his  life. 

It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  then,  that,  only  one  year 
later,  when  the  amiable,  patient  housekeeper  at  the  Stew- 
art Mansion  fell  sick  and  was  found  to  be  on  her  death- 
bed, the  warm-hearted  young  Virginian  should  have 
knelt  by  her  bed-side  and  given  her  a  promise  that 
naught  but  death  should  part  Fox  and  himself,  and  that 
conjointly  they  would  take  care  of  and  watch  over 
Marienne. 

From  that  time  forward  the  two  young  men  were 
rarely  separated  for  a  day,  at  college  or  in  vacation ; 
while  the  unusually  bright  little  Marienne  was  kept 
quietly  at  home  learning  the  mysteries  of  letters  and 
harmony  from  the  young  mistress,  the  art  of  needle- 
craft  from  the  seamstress,  and  the  great  virtue  of  neat- 
ness, order  and  general  helpfulness,  from  the  old  mistress 
and  the  housekeeper ;  while  she  charmed  all  with  her 
gentle  ways  and  the  plaintive  little  songs  of  her  child- 
hood, which  she  rarely  failed  to  sing  when  alone  about 
her  daily  employments. 

In  the  year  eighteen  hundred  and  fifty-six,  when  Col. 
Stewart  called  for  volunteers  among  his  slaves  to  go  to 
the  cotton  belt  and  establish  under  and  for  his  son  a 
plantation  in  the  far-distant  land  of  Alabama,* where  the 
average  Virginia  negro  firmly  believed  the  mosquitoes 
were  as  large  as  tobacco-flies  and  the  slaves  were  fed  on 
cotton  seed.  Fox  assumed  as  his  proper  office  the  position 
of  recruiting  sergeant.  He  spoke  eloquently  of  the 
flora  and  fauna  of  the  lower  lands  of  Dixie,  but  his  elo- 
quence availed  little  until  he  thought  of  the  peculiar 
preferences  of  the  negroes^  and  assured  his  skeptical 
auditors  that  the  country  was  full  of  persimmons,  paw- 


"parting   from  all  in  VIRGINIA." 


35 


paws,  muscadines,  summer-grapes,  and  black-haws ;  and 
that  Opossums  were  plentiful  and,  as  a  natural  conse- 
quence, fat  all  the  year  round.  This  reconciled  the 
negroes,  to  the  cotton-seed  cake,  which  they  persisted 
would,  at  least  in  part,  be  substituted  for  the  staflp  of  life, 
as  that  was  the  fashion  of  the  country,  and  in  a  short 
time  the  requisite  number  was  made  up,  with  half  a 
dozen  thrown  in  for  good  measure.  Marienne,  who  had 
graduated  under  her  several  domestic  teachers,  though 
now  but  little  over  seventeen  years  of  age,  after  many 
tears  at  the  thought  of  parting  from  all  in  Virginia, 
volunteered  to  accompany  her  brother  and  assume  the 
position  and  duties  of  housekeeper  to  the  new  establish- 
ment in  the  distant  terra  incognita. 


King  Cotton. 


3 


CHAPTER  II. 
Foul  Conspiracy. 

"  Which  is  the  villain ?    Let  me  see  his  eyes" — Shakspeare. 

"  Thou  ugliest  fiend  of  hell !  thy  healthful  venom 
Preys  on  my  vitals,  and  drinks  my  spirits  up  !  " — Hannah  More. 

IT  has  taken  much  more  time  to  introduce  Fox  than- was 
required  by  that  individual  to  take  ^Ir.  Howard's  horse 
ai'ound  to  the  hotel  and  have  him  put  to  hay.  As  he 
passed  near  the  depot  building  on  his  way  to  the  "  saloon," 
his  attention  was  attracted  by  the  ejaculatory  clearing  of  a 
throat,  and,  looking  in  the  direction  from  which  the  sound 
proceeded,  he  saw  a  slim,  bony,  but  apparently  stout  indi- 
vidual, TNdth  high  cheek  bones,  massive  chin  and  small  rest- 
less blue  eyes,  half  crouching  by  the  side  of  an  empty  box  car, 
and  making  what  Fox  thought  to  be  very  peculiar  gestures 
and  grimaces  at  him.  Not  being  accustomed  to  having 
his  attention  attracted  in  so  novel  a  manner  and  being 
withal  a  little  startled,  he  shouted  out,  angrily : 

"  What's  the  matter  down  there  ?  Is  anything  wanted  ?  " 
"  Ah  !  beg  pardon,''  responded  the  individual,  making  a 
peculiar  gesture  to  entreat  caution.    "  AVill  you  step  this 
way  just  one  minute  ?  " 

"  What  is  it,  sir  ? "  said  Fox,  walking  rapidly  up  to 
within  a  few  feet  of  the  queer  individual,  having  first, 
however,  calculated  his  ability  to  grapple  with  and  over- 
power him  if  it  should  become  necessary.     "  What  can  I 

do  for  you,  sir  ?  " 

36 


"a  patent  haxd-cuff/'  37 

"  Well,  not  much,  I  guess,"  replied  the  individual,  eye- 
ing him  closely.  ^^  I  calculate  the  question  had  ought  to 
be  what  can  I  do  for  you.''^ 

"  Well,  sir  ;  what  can  you  do  for  me  ?  " 

"  I  might  do  a  right  smart  and  then  I  mightn't,"  replied 
the  stranger,  cautiously.  "You  are  a  friend  to  Mr. 
Deaderick  ;  and  your  name  is Perhaps  I'm  mis- 
taken," he  said,  interrupting  himself,  as  he  saw  a  slight 
shade  of  something  like  anger  pass  over  Fox's  face. 

"  I  am  Monsieur  Cesare  Reynard  D'Elfons,  sir,"  said 
Fox,  impatiently,  "and  you  are — the  Wandering  Jew, 
perhaps.  If  you  have  any  business  with  me,  please  state 
it." 

"  Ah  !  beg  pardon,"  replied  the  man,  as  his  eyes  fell  to 
the  ground ;  "  I  mistook  you  for  another  parfy.  Pray 
excuse  me.     ISio  harm  done,  I  hope." 

"  That  depends  on  circumstances,  sir.  I  wish  to  know 
whom  you  mistook  me  for,  and  why  you  deport  yourself 
in  so  peculiar  a  manner ;  and  also  your  name  and  business 
here." 

"  Well,  you  see,"  said  the  man,  with  some  confusion, 
"  I  am  the  agent  for  a  patent  subsoil  plow — selling  plan- 
tation rights.  I  am  also  trying  to  sell  the  right  to  the 
state  of  Alabama  for  the  manufacture  of  a  patent  hand- 
cuff; can  be  made  by  any  plantation  smith,  and  is  the 
very  best  thing  out  in  that  line.  A  gentleman  promised 
to  meet  me  here  with  a  view  to  buying  the  territory  of 
North  Alabama." 

"  Who  is  the  gentleman,  and  why  don't  you  await  him 
on  the  platform  or  in  the  station-house  ?  " 

"  That's  ^  business/  sir  ! "  exclaimed  the  stranger,  ^\'ith  a 
wink.  "  Of  coui'se  a  real  gentleman  wouldn't  like  it  to  be 
known  that  he  was  going  to  make  money  out  of  manacles 


38  FOUL  CONSPIRACY. 

for  niggers.  But  it's  a  big  thing  for  the  right  kind  of  a 
man.  I'll  sell  all  of  North  Alabama  for  one  hundred 
dollars ;  and  plantation  rights  could  be  sold  for,  say  five 
dollars  each.  Let  me  show  it  to  you,  sir ;  perhaps  you 
wouldn't  mind  buying  it  yourself  You  need  never  be 
known  in  it ;  could  sell  farm  rights  through  agents,  and  for 
your  own  slaves  only  it  is  worth  all  I  ask  for  the  state." 

"  My  good  fellow/'  said  Fox,  with  a  compassionate 
smile,  "  you  are  performing  a  fool's  errand.  No  man  here 
would  think  seriously  of  giving  you  one  cent  for  the  whole 
territory  of  North  America." 

"  Eh  ?  What  ?  "  exclaimed  the  man,  with  a  show  of  sur- 
prise. "AYouldn't  your  people  use  them  if  properly 
introduced  and  made  cheap  ?  Wouldn't  you  rather  have 
them,  for  convenience,  than  to  tie  your  slaves  with  ropes  ? 
Say,  now?" 

"  We  desire  neither  manacles  nor  ropes,  and  besides  I 
have  no  slaves ;  I  am  a  slave  myself" 

"Eh?  What?  Foit  a  slave!  Holy  Moses !  And  you 
are  a  slave  and  have  been  putting  on  high  airs  for  a  joke ! 
Ha  !  ha  !  You  played  it  fine,  for  I  thought  I'd  waked  up 
the  wrong  passenger  !     And  you  know  Mr.  Deaderick?" 

"  Yes." 

"And  you're  a  leader  among  the  niggers?" 

"  Perhaps  so." 

"And  your  name  is  Fox?" 

"  That's  what  they  call  me." 

"  And  you're  not  that  Lord  Mayor,  E  Pluribus  Unum 
fellow  you  said  you  was  ?     Ha  !  ha  ! " 

"  That's  all  right." 

"  Well,  you're  the  best  actor  I've  come  across  yet ;  but 
Mr.  Deaderick  said  you  were  no  common  nigger.  Did 
you  ever  read  any  Abolition  papers  or  documents  ? " 


"sweep  these  hounds  off.^'  39 

"  Yes." 

"  You  have  f     AYhere'd  you  get  ^em  ?  " 

"  Through  the  mails." 

^'  Great  snakes !  Who  was  rash  enough  to  send  'em 
through  the  mails  ?  " 

"  Mr.  Greelj.     My  sister  takes  his  Tribune J^ 

"  Holy  Moses  !  And  how  do  you  keep  the  boss  from 
catching  her  at  it?" 

"  Do  what  ?  " 

"  How  do  you  keep  the  boss  from  catching  her  with  the 
Tribune  and  skinning  her  and  you  alive  ? " 

"  Ah  ! "  said  Fox,  while  a  new  light  shone  in  his  eyes 
and  the  faintest  ghost  of  a  smile  played  around  one  corner 
of  his  mouth  ;  "  didn't  Mr.  Deaderick  tell  you  ?  We  poor 
slaves  have  to  do  things  on  the  sly  occasionally." 

"  Yes,  yes ;  I  understand.     Is  the  boss  a  bad  slasher?" 

"What?" 

"  Does  he  whip  much  —  lay  on  the  rawhide  lively  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  Well,  people  believe  that  he  does  not,  but 

well,  I  prefer  not  to  speak  of  that." 

"  Ah,  ha  !  And  your  sister ; — Mr.  Deaderick  says — But 
what  do  you  say  on  that  subject?" 

"  I  have  nothing  to  say." 

"  I  understand,"  said  the  man,  with  an  expression  of 
real  compassion  on  his  face,  as  he  noticed  and  misinter- 
preted the  flush  that  passed  over  Fox's  brow.  "And 
now  that  we  understand  each  other  I  Tvdll  tell  you  I  am 
not  a  handcuff  dealer  any  more  than  you  are  that  E 
Pluribus  Unum  fellow.  So  honors  are  easy ;  eh  ?  Ha, 
ha  !  But  tell  me,  why  it  is  that  your  people,  the  slaves, 
being  five  or  perhaps  ten  to  one  in  this  district,  do  not 
rise  in  your  might  and  sweep  these  hounds  off  the  face  of 
the  earth?" 


40  FOUL   CONSPIRACY. 

^^  Do  you  know  that  '  these  hounds/  as  you  call  them, 
think  one  of  themselves  equal  to  a  dozen  of  ordinary  fellows, 
and  do  not  fear  death  any  more  than  you  fear  the  mumps." 

^'  Well,  what  of  it  ?  That  don't  keep  'em  from  dying 
like  common  folks  if  you  put  a  ball  or  a  butcher  knife 
in  amongst  their  vitals.  It  has  always  been  a  mystery 
with  our  people,  considering  that  a  man  is  but  a  man, 
how  a  few  scurvy  fellows  can  hold  so  many  of  your  peo- 
ple howling  under  the  lash.'' 

"  Ah !  sir,  what  can  the  poor  slaves  do  ?  Their  forefath- 
ers Avere  torn  from  their  beautiful  tropical  land  and,  under 
the  dynamical  teachings  of  slavery,  had  all  the  noble  and 
natural  aspirations  of  their  souls  crushed  out  of  them. 
What,  I  say,  can  their  children  do  wliose  intellects  have 
been  dwarfed  and  manhood  crushed  out  by  generations  of 
vile  servitude ;  whose  only  thought,  for  ages,  has  been  to 
make  their  subserviency  acceptable  and  pleasing  to  the 
dominant  race ;  whose  highest  aspirations  have  neces- 
sarily been  to  fill  the  stomach  and  escape  the  lash ;  whose 
very  natures  have  become  so  grovelling  as  to  require  that 
others  shall  think  for  them  ?  What,  I  say,  can  they  do 
without  a  master  mind — a  mind  that  has  never  been- bowed 
down  to  grovelling  littleness — to  lead  and  direct  them?" 

^'  Such  minds  my  people  have  always  been  ready  and 
anxious  to  offer  for  your  leadership  ;  but  the  trouble  has 
been  that  your  people  have'nt  the  pluck,  or  something,  to 
follow  their  lead." 

"  When  have  they  ever  been  offered  a  fitting  opportu- 
nity ?  Where  in  all  the  earth  is  there  the  unselfish  philan- 
thropist who  would  take  his  life  in  his  hands  and  dare  to 
become  our  Moses?" 

^'  There  are  thousands  of  Moseses,  but  they  can't  lead 
unless  your  people  will  follow. 


"show   me   one   MOSES."  41 

"  Show  me  one  Moses  of  the  right  kind  and  I  will  show 
you  four  millions  of  followers.'^ 

"  Why  didn't  your  people  follow  John  Brown  ?  He 
was  a  Moses  among  Moseses.'^ 

"Ah !  the  Virginia  slave  knows  but  little  of  the  dark 
shades  of  slavery.  Cotton  and  sugar,  the  slave's  curses, 
do  not  grow  there,  where  the  sainted  Brown  made  his 
demonstration.  Besides,  there  was  a  belief  that  Brown 
was  not  the  right  kind  of  a  Moses — that  he  was  actuated 
more  by  a  hatred  of  the  Southern  white  people  than  by 
love  for  the  slaves,  and  that  he  desired  to  make  tools  of 
the  latter  for  the  punishment  of  the  former.  Even  my 
dispassionate  judgment  does  not  acquit  him  of  that  dam- 
aging charge.  But  had  he  been  a  true  Moses,  the  United 
States  Government  captured  him  before  he  had  given  the 
negroes  a  taste  of  blood  and  a  chance  to  become  ravenous." 

"  If  they  had  got  a  good  fair  taste  of  blood  would  they 
have  pitched  in  ?" 

"  Would  they  ?  Did  you  ever  hear  of  the  tigers  in  the 
jungles  that  once  get  a  taste  of  human  blood?" 

"And  would  they  have  slain  their  masters  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  about  the  masters,  but  if  Brown  had 
attended  to  them  he  could  have  relied  on  the  negroes  to 
attend  to  the  women  and  children." 

"  Oh,  bother  the  women  and  children  !  "  said  the  man, 
with  a  look  of  deep  disgust,  "  It  is  the  men  who  stand 
between  your  people  and  freedom,  and  it  is  the  men  that 
we  want  attended  to.  You  know  that  we  are  on  the  eve 
of  a  great  war.  A  million  of  our  men — ten  millions  of 
them  if  necessary — are  ready  to  sacrifice  their  lives  and 
fortunes,  if  need  be,  to  strike  the  shackels  from  your 
limbs.  Your  people  could  render  us  great  assistance  by 
operating  in  the  rear,  and  if  you  do  not " 


42 


FOUL   CONSPIEACY. 


"  What  an  unreasouing  or  uncandid  people  you  are  !  '^ 
interrupted  Fox,  "  Why  should  so  many  millions  show  a 
readiness  to  sacrifice  life  and  all  else  to  accomplish  an 
object  which  could  be  accomplished,  in  a  peaceful  and 
legitimate  way,  by  the  sacrifice  of  a  few  paltry  dollars, 
from  each,  to  buy  up  and  liberate  all  the  slaves?'^ 

"  Umph  !  What  w^ould  be  the  satisfaction,"  said  the 
other,  impatiently,  ^^  of  giving  you  your  freedom,  if  the 
hounds  who  have  oppressed  you  are  not  to  be  made  to 
suffer  ?  But  I  was  going  to  say  if  in  this  war  your  peo- 
ple do  not  do  something  to  aid  us,  and  to  show  your 
manhood,  we  shall  feel  unspeakable  contempt  for  you ; 
and,  though  we  will  give  you  your  freedom,  it  will  be 
given  you  at  the  hands  of  our  party,  pretty  much  as  a 
man  would  throw  meat  to  a  dog." 

"  Yes,  I  can  understand  the  feeling  of  your  party  on 
the  subject.  If  we  give  you  no  aid  your  contempt  for 
our  pusilanimity  will  cause,  you  to  give  us  freedom  pretty 
much  as  a  man  would  throw  his  neighbor's  meat  to  a 
mangy  cur ;  but  I  fear  it  cannot  be  helped.  The  white 
people  here  think  that  ten  of  themselves  could  whip  a 
brigade  of  negroes,  and,  what  is  worse,  the  negroes  think 
so  too." 

"  What  do  you  think  of  it  ?  "  asked  the  man,  pointedly. 
"  You  have  the  merest  trace  of  negro  blood  in  your  veins. 
Do  you  think  one  master  equal  to  a  dozen  or  two  of  slaves, 
in  fighting  qualities  ?  " 

"  Not  if  you  give  the  slaves  proper  leadership." 

"  Suppose  you  knew  that  the  slaves  here  are  slowly 
making  up  their  minds  to  strike  a  blow  for  themselves 
when  the  proper  time  arrives  ;  do  you  not  think  that  you 
could  furnish,  in  your  o^yh  j)erson,  a  proper  leader  for 
them  ?  " 


"governor  wise  hung  him."  43 

"  To  superintend  the  killing  of  a  few  harmless  people 
and  then  ornament  a  gallows,  as  all  such  leaders  have 
done  ?     I  should  beg  to  be  excused  ! " 

"  But,  my  dear  sir,"  said  the  man,  earnestly,  "  things 
have  changed  from  the  old  ruts.  The  power  of  the  gov- 
ernment is  at  last  in  the  hands  of  our  party,  and  the  cry, 
^  down  with  slavery  and  the  slaveholder,^  has  ten  times 
the  significance  that  it  ever  had  before.  Is  it  likely  that 
we  shall  change  to  sucking  doves  now  that  we  hold  power 
in  our  hands  ?  Soon  this  country  will  be  overrun  with 
our  troops,  and  if  you  will  become  the  leader  of  your  peo- 
ple here  and  aid  our  cause,  I  solemnly  promise  that  all 
the  hanging  to  be  done  shall  be  superintended  by  the 
troops  of  the  Government." 

"  That,  perhaps,  would  be  a  consolation  to  me  on  the 
gallows,  as  Brown  was  similarly  honored,"  said  Fox,  with 
a  smile. 

"  Oh,  you  understand  me,"  said  the  man,  impatiently. 
"  You  are  no  ignoramus.  The  United  States  troops  cap- 
tured Brown  and  old  Governor  Wise  hung  him.  But  the 
Government  and  troops  are  now  on  our  side.  They  recog- 
nize Brown  as  a  martyr,  and  are  ready  to  hang  all  who 
oppose  the  march  of  the  spirit  which  actuated  him.  Brown, 
and  the  able  patriots  and  philantrophists  who  backed  him, 
erred  in  striking  too  soon,  but  within  a  few  weeks  the 
proper  moment  for  the  blow  which  he  and  they  desired 
to  strike  will  arrive,  as  I  can  prove  to  you  conclusively, 
if  you  will  join  our  organization." 

"  What  is  your  organization  ?  " 

"We  are  liable  to  be  discovered  here  at  any  moment," 
said  the  man,  looking  around,  uneasily.  "When  and 
where  can  you  meet  me  for  a  long  talk?  " 

"At  any  time  and  place  you  may  choose,"  said  Fox, 


44  FOUL  CONSPIRACY. 

earnestly,  "but  speak  now  as  to  your  objects,  and  why 
you  sought  m6." 

"Well,  I  have  heard  from  the  negroes,  and  from  Mr. 
Deaderick,  that  you  are  the  most  intelligent  slave  in  the 
country,  and  that  nine-tenths  of  them  would  follow  your 
lead  if  you  should  join  our  order ;  and  Mr.  Deaderick 
advised  me  to  see  you  in  person,  and  to  seek  you  here 
this  morning." 

"Has  your  organization  any  connection  with  the  mili- 
tary force  of  the  government?" 

"  Xo  direct  connection,  as  yet,  with  that  or  any  depart- 
ment of  the  government  proper;  but  it  is  fostered  and 
put  forward  by  those  whose  money  and  brains  will  direct 
and  control  both  the  government  and  the  army." 

"Who  are  they?" 

"Every  man,  woman  and  child  at  the  North  who  has 
money  and  brains,  and  is  not  a  sneaking  copper-head 
Democrat.* 

"  What  are  they  doing  ?  " 

"The  Democrats?  Ha  !  What  can  they  do  ?  We  have 
gotten  up  a  furor  over  the  Fort  Sumter  affair,  and  w^oe 
be  to  the  Democrat  who  doesn't  join  us  or  else  sing 
mighty  low!" 

"What  are  the  objects  of  your  organization?" 

"Our  single  object  is  to  organize  you  slaves,  and  to 
select  good  leaders,  who  will  hold  them  well  in  hand  until 
the  armies  of  the  North  and  South  are  about  to  join  in 
one  great  battle.  That  will  be  your  cue.  The  fighting 
men  will  be  out  of  the  country,  and  a  very  small  force  in 
each  county  wdll  be  sufficient  to  start  the  ball.  The 
smoke  of  burning  homes,  and  the  howd  that  will  go  up 
from  the  land,  will  disband  the  rebel  army  in  a  day,  and 
*  This,  of  course,  was,  to  a  considerable  extent,  a  slander. 


"  THE   TORCH   AND   BUTCHER   KNIFE."  45 

our  troops  will  be  in  on  time  to  attend  to  any  hanging  that 
may  be  necessary,  and  to  install  intelligent  men  like  your- 
self into  the  civil  offices." 

"  My  God,  what  a  mons — ,  what  a  magnificent  plot !  To 
be  candid  with  you,  sir,  I  have  been  more  than  half 
inclined  to  ridicule  your  plots  and  plans  as  puerile;  but 
your  last  remark  opens  up  their  fear — ,  their  magnificent 
possibilities.  Why,  sir,  twenty  or  thirty  slaves,  in  each 
county,  well  organized,  can  strike  more  terror  into  the 
hearts  of  the  Southern  army,  and  route  it  more  thoroughly, 
than  could  ten  times  their  own  force  in  battle  array  in 
their  front ;  and  do  so  without  any  serious  danger  of  hurt 
to  themselves,  and  without  any  more  formidable  weapons 
than  the  torch  and  butcher  knife.  I  see  the  great  oppor- 
tunity clearly,  and  will  join  your  order!  When  can  I 
become  a  member,  and  where?" 

^'Do  you  know  the  Garth  place  on  this  road?"  asked 
the  man,  exultingly." 

"Yes." 

"Do  you  know  where  the  storm  house  is  in  the  big 
field  near  Beaver  lagoon?" 

"Yes." 

"We  meet  there  to-night.  I  am  going  on  the  train 
when  it  comes.  Steal  out  one  of  your  master's  horses  and 
meet  us  there  at  midnight  or  a  little  before." 

"  I'll  do  it." 

"  Conceal  your  horse  in  the  woods ;  strike  against  a  tree, 
so  that  we  can  hear  you,  thus:  rap,  rap — rap;  and  ap- 
proach with  your  hat  in  your  left  hand." 

"You  can  depend  on  me,  and — " 

At  this  moment  the  plotters  were  interrupted  by  a  loud 
call,  which  came  from  the  rear  of  the  depot  building: 
"Hello,  Fox !    Where  are  you,  and  what  are  you  up  to?" 


46  FOUL   CONSPIRACY. 

Running  rapidly  along  the  line  of  empty  cars,  Fox 
sprang  lightly  upon  the  long  platform  and,  assmned  a 
lounging  attitude  against  the  corner  of  the  building,  as  the 
young  men  came  around  to  the  front. 

"Go  and  get  your  wine,  Fox,'^  said  Mr.  Flournoy. 
"We  heard  the  whistle  at  the  station  above,  and  Monsh 
will  be  here  in  less  than  a  moment." 

"  Thank  you,  sir ;  I  don't  care  to  indulge  in — '' 

"Say,  Fox/'  interrupted  one  of  the  party,  "yonder  is 
the  carpet-bag  fellow  we  have  been  talking  about  around 
at  Smith's.     Who  is  he?" 

"  I  have  been  talking  to  him,"  replied  Fox ;  "he  is 
waiting  for  the  train,  but  I  don't  believe  he  has  a  name." 

"Eh?  No  name?  What  nonsense  are  you  trying  to 
get  off  now?" 

"  No  nonsense,  I  assure  you.  I  believe  he  is  the  Wan- 
dering Jew  turned  Puritan,  and  if  ever  I  get  a  good 
chance  I  shall  baptize  him  and  give  him  a  name.  I'll 
call  him  Carpet-bagger." 

This  reply  elicited  a  shout  of  laughter,  which  was 
partly  drowned  by  the  short,  angry  whistle  of  the  locomo- 
tive calling  for  brakes.  As  the  train  slowed  up  to  the 
station  Fox  ran  forward,  and,  springing  upon  the  rear 
platform,  was  the  first  to  greet  the  young  master. 


CHAPTER  III. 

An  Eccentric  Acquaintance. 

"Absence  of  occupation  is  not  rest; 
A  mind  quite  vacant  is  a  mind  disti^ess'd. 

— Cowper's  Retirement. 

"  When  you  have  met  with  three  cups  to  drink, 
Brink  your  three  cups." — Chinese  Poet. 

BEFORE  our  expected  traveler  shall  be  greeted  by  the 
friends  awaiting  him,  we  will  go  forward  to  meet 
him  at  Huntsville,  and  have  a  ride  with  him  from  that 
interesting  and  picturesque  little  city.  We  find  the  train 
waiting  upon  a  side  track,  while  the  passengers  are  in  the 
hotel  regaling  themselves  with  ^'beef-steak  and  coffee, 
poached  eggs  and  canned  oysters."  The  young  man  in 
question,  a  tall,  well-proportioned,  graceful  person,  with 
dark  hair  and  eyes,  and  a  melancholy,  or  what  is  sometimes 
described  as  a  "  haughty ,''  expression  upon  his  regular, 
handsome  features,  is  leisurely  promenading  the  front 
portico  of  the  hotel  and  languidly  puffing  a  fragrant  cigar. 
A  youth  of  less  than  twenty  years  of  age,  who  has  just 
come  from  the  direction  of  the  waiting  train,  approaches 
and  addresses  him  respectfully  : 

''Have  I  the  honor  of  addressing  Mr.  Stewart,  of 
Alabama,  sir?" 

"  That  is  my  name,  sir,  and  I  reside  in  this  state," 
replied  the  gentleman,  politely,  taking  the  cigar  from  his 

lips. 

47 


48  AN   ECCENTRIC    ACQUAINTANCE. 


a 


My  name  is  Lacour,  from  Louisiana,  sir,  and  the  lady 
with  whom  I  am  travelling  requests  that  you  will  do  her 
the  kindness  to  let  her  see  you  in  the  rear  coach  when  you 
feel  disposed  to  go  aboard  again/^ 

"  I  will  go  with  you  now,  sir,"  said  the  young  man, 
throwing  away  his  cigar.  "  The  lady  you  speak  of 
is ?" 

"  An  invalid,  who  is  just  returning  from  Philadelphia, 
Sir. 

"  An  acquaintance  whom  I  have  not  yet  observed  on  the 
train,  no  doubt.'^ 

"  No,  sir ;  an  entire  stranger  to  you,  I  fancy." 

"  May  I  ask  to  what  I  am  indebted  for  the  honor  of 
the  request  ?  " 

''  Really,  sir,  I  cannot  say.  Perhaps  only  to  caprice, 
I  am  only  her  friend  and  travelling  companion." 

Without  speaking  again,  Mr.  Stewart  followed  the  youth 
to  the  rear  car,  and  to  a  seat  covered  with  soft  shawls  and 
wraps,  upon  which  reclined  a  pale,  fair,  handsome  woman, 
neither  young  nor  old,  but  to  all  appearances  a  confirmed 
invalid.  The  youth  addressed  her  as  he  prepared  a  seat 
fronting  her  for  the  occupancy  of  the  new-comer. 

"  Madam,  I  have  the  honor  to  present  to  you  Mr.. 
Stewart,  of  Alabama." 

"  I  thank  you,  Mr.  Stewart,"  said  the  lady,  in  a  soft,, 
musical  voice,  as  she  motioned  him  to  be  seated,  "  for  your 
kindness  in  humoring  the  whim  of  an  old  woman.  No  ; 
do  not  speak.  I  know  what  you  would  say,  and  it  is  true- 
that  I  am  not  so  very  old  in  years,  but  I  am  very,  very 
old  in  the  age  which  ill  health  and  trouble  give ;  and  I 
sometimes  presume  upon  it,  as  in  this  case,  with  as  much 
confidence  as  if  I  possessed  that  better  age  which  only 
long  years,  usefully  and  unselfishly  spent,  can  give." 


"frivolous  curiosity."  49 


"  Madam,  permit  me  to  say " 

"  Yes,  yes ;  I  understand,"  interrupted  the  lady,  "  and 
while  I  do  not  consider  the  utterances  that  are  prompted, 
if  not  demanded,  by  gallantry,  as  unpardonable  violations 
of  candor,  we  will,  if  you  please,  dispense  with  them. 
Excuse  me,  but  it  seems  to  me  the  expression  of  merely 
conventional  compliments  would  ill  comport  with  the 
sincerity  and  candor  which  I  read  in  your  countenance." 

"  Madam,"  said  the  young  man,  with  a  slight  color  rising 
to  his  cheeks,  ^^  are  you  altogether  generous  in  denying 
to  me  the  use  of  ^  conventional  compliments '  while  you 
yourself " 

"  No,  no, "  again  interrupted  the  lady,  "  you  do  me 
injustice.  Flattery  is  as  foreign  to  my  character  as  joy 
and  peace  are  to  my  heart  and  mind.  AVere  you  ever  in 
New  Orleans  ?  " 

^'  I  have  been  there  often,  madam,"  replied  the  young 
man,  with  a  slight  smile  at  the  suddenness  of  the  question. 

"  Ah  !  I  see  you  think  I  am  indulging  a  frivolous  curi- 
osity, and  I  must  admit  that  very  few  actions  of  my  useless 
life  have  been  prompted  by  any  sentiment  more  worthy 
of  commendation.  I  have  lived  for  mvself  alone,  and  no 
one  can  do  that  without  wronging  others,  in  a  greater  or 
iess  degree,  and  having  those  wrongs  to  recoil,  in  effect, 
upon  the  offender,  and  load  the  mind  and  soul  with  a  bur- 
den of  conscious  inanity.  You  deem  me,  I  know^,  egotisti- 
cal and  eccentric,  but  all  invalids  are  egotists  of  necessity, 
and  selfishness  is  the  foundation  stone  of  eccentricity. 
Are  you  a  native  of  Alabama,  sir  ?  " 

"  No,  I  am  not,  madam,"  replied  the  young  man  again, 
with  a  barely  perceptible  smile. 

"Of  what  State,  then?" 

"  Of  Virginia." 


50  AN   ECCENTRIC    ACQUAINTANCE. 

"  Virginia  !    Merciful  Heaven  !    Then  he  is  the 

Ah  !  excuse  me,  Mr.  Stewart,"  exclaimed  the  lady,  with 
some  confusion,  "  I  have  a  habit  of  thinking  aloud  and 
of  becoming  excited   over  the  merest  whim  or   fancy. 

Were  you  in  New  Orleans  in  the  winter  of .     But 

no,  you  are  too  young  !     Was  your  father  ever  there?" 

''  Only  once,  I  think." 

^'  And  that  was  in  the  year  of ?  " 

^^  Of  1849  or  '50,  I  think,"  said  the  young  man,  filling 
the  enquiring  pause. 

"  Did  he  go  there  on  business  ?  " 

"  No,  he  went  for  my  mother's  health." 

^^Did  he  transact  any  business  there?" 

^'  No,  I  believe  he  had  none  there.  He  bought  a  family 
of  slaves,  however,  w^hile  there.  A  poor  Creole  woman 
and  her  two  children,  whose  sad  history  moved  his  com- 
passion." 

"  What  was  their  sad  history?'' 

"  They  were  left  slaves,  in  the  eyes  of  the  law,  because 
one  Monsieur  D'Elfons,  whose  large  fortune  they  had  a 
right  to  believe  was  their  own,  died  mthout  making  a 
will,  or  executing  any  other  paper  for  their  relief  and 
benefit." 

"  Ah  !  that  was  indeed  a  sad  tale,"  exclaimed  the  lady, 
compressing  her  pale  lips  and  putting  her  handkerchief  to 
her  face.     "Are  they  still  living?" 

"  The  mother  died  six  years  ago,  but  the  children  are 
both  living." 

"  In  what  State  and  with  whom  ?  " 

"  With  me,  here  in  Alabama ;  within  less  than  a  score 
of  miles  of  us  at  this  moment,"  replied  the  young  man, 
glancing  at  the  landscape  which  seemed  to  flit  by  so 
rapidly. 


"an  accident."  51 

"Have  they  relatives?"  asked  the  lady,  with  a  falter- 
ing voice,  as  she  again  covered  her  face  with  her  handker- 
chief. 

"Yes,  the  almost  princely  fortune  which  should  be 
theirs  is  enjoyed  by  a  base  ingrate  in  New  Orleans,  who  is 
a  near  relative.  May  a  righteous  Heaven  temper  justice 
with  mercy  when  it  comes  to  deal  with  that  poor  grovel- 
ling soul." 

"  Merciful  God,  have  pity !  But  you  do  not  know 
Oh  save  me  !  save  me  !"  shrieked  the  lady,  throw- 
ing her  arms  wildly  above  her  head. 

The  latter  part  of  the  exclamation  and  the  gesture 
appeahng  for  help,  were  occasioned  by  a  tremendous 
bounding  and  bumping  of  the  coach,  which  had  become 
derailed,  and  which  finally,  breaking  the  coupling,  rushed 
down  a  slight  embankment  and  turned  over  on  the  side. 
Mr.  Stewart,  understanding  instantly  the  nature  of  the 
accident,  and  seeing  that  the  car,  if  it  turned  over,  must 
fall  on  the  side  opposite  to  themselves,  seized  the  lady 
around  the  waist,  and  lifting  her  into  a  clear  space,  forced 
her  downward,  and  still  holding  her  firmly  braced  himself 
to  receive  the  coming  shock.  By  this  means  he  undoubt- 
edly saved  her  and  himself  from  serious  injury,  as  there 
were  but  few  others  who  were  not  more  or  less  injured. 

Fortunately  no  lives  were  sacrificed,  and  no  bones 
broken,  and  only  a  few  minutes  were  necessary  to  relieve 
the  disabled  coach  of  its  demoralized  freight.  Some  time 
was  consumed  in  attending  to  the  wants  of  the  wounded, 
and  in  getting  them  comfortably  on  board  the  other 
coaches.  After  rendering  all  necessary  assistance  that 
seemed  to  be  required  of  himself,  Mr.  Stewart  approached 
the  lady,  who  was  lying  where  he  had  placed  her,  upon 
her  shawls  under  the  shade  of  a  tree.  Without  alluding 
4 


52  AN   ECCENTRIC    ACQUAINTANCE. 

to  the  remarks  which  called  forth  her  passionate  exclama- 
tion, at  the  moment  of  the  accident,  she  quietly  asked : 

"  Mr.  Stewart,  isn't  slavery  a  great  sin,  and  curse  to  our 
land?'' 

"  I  am  not  disposed  to  say  that  it  is  not,"  replied  the 
young  man,  musingly.  "  And  yet  the  condition  of  the 
most  degraded  slave  in  the  South  is  infinitely  preferable 
to  that  of  his  brother  in  Africa ;  for  in  addition  to  his 
greater  enjoyment  of  physical  comforts,  he  has  the  blessed 
hopes  vouchsafed  by  the  Christian  religion.  Both  these, 
I  earnestly  believe,  he  enjoys  more  unreservedly  and  in  a 
higher  degree  than  the  poorer  peasantry  of  any  country 
on  the  globe.  He  knows,  no  matter  what  may  befall,  that, 
so  far  as  his  physical  comforts  are  concerned,  he  will 
never  suffer  the  pangs  of  hunger  nor  the  pinchings  of 
cold ;  nor  for  the  want  of  a  roof  to  shelter  his  family, 
however  numerous  and  helpless;  and  that  when  the 
decrepitude  of  age  shall  overtake  him  he  will  be  nursed 
and  provided  for  in  his  second  childhood  as  he  was  in  his 
first." 

"  Yes ;  but  the  thought  of  being  a  human  chattel,  and 
of  having  one's  destiny  entirely  in  the  hands  of  others ; 
and,  worst  of  nil,  the  fear  and  danger  of  the  separation 
of  happy  families  !'' 

"  Ah  !  the  latter  part  of  your  remark  touches  the  one 
dark  spot  in  our  system  of  slavery,  which,  in  all  other 
respects,  is  the  least  objectionable  and  the  mildest  form 
possible.  The  laws  of  all  the  states  protect  the  slave 
from  wrong  in  all  things  save  the  dismemberment  of  his 
family.  But  public  opinion,  which  is  as  potent  as  law, 
except  with  the  degraded,  protects  him  there  ;  and  it  is 
very  rarely  the  case  in  the  distribution  of  a  large  estate 
that  parents  are  separated  from  their  unmarried  children ; 


"defensive  laws."  53 

and  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  where  there  seems  a  necessity 
for  such  separation,  it  is  cheerfully  acquiesced  in.  But 
for  the  political  excitement  that  was  gotten  up  many 
years  ago  upon  the  subject  of  slavery,  and  is  now  about 
to  bathe  our  country  in  blood,  the  laws  regulating  the 
system  would  be  to-day  much  more  favorable  to  the  slave 
than  they  are.'^ 

"  How  has  that  excitement  had  any  influence  upon  the 
laws?" 

"  Do  you  know  that  slavery  in  the  South  has  been  pro- 
ductive of  but  two  insignificant  insurrections,  not  includ- 
ing John  Brown's  effort,  and  that  both  these  were  brought 
about  by  emissaries  from  New  England,  and  were  insti- 
gated by  incendiary  addresses  and  other  publications, 
emanating  from  the  anti-slavery  societies  there,  which 
were  secretly  circulated  among  the  negroes — a  happy, 
contented  people,  whom  the  laws  of  the  land  would  not 
have  suffered  to  be  punished  with  stripes  upon  such  evi- 
dence as  once  condemned  Christian  leaders  and  teachers 
to  cruel  deaths  by  torture  in  Massachusetts  ?  Those  insig- 
nificant insurrections,  which  resulted  in  the  butcherv  of  a 
few  women  and  children,  opened  the  eyes  of  the  Southern 
people  to  what  might  be  possible  if  they  did  not  make  an 
earnest  appeal  to  that  law  which  is  the  first  in  nature's 
code.  The  constitution  of  the  general  government  for- 
bade the  states  to  pass  such  laws  as  would  have  protected 
themselves  from  those  incendiaries  and  their  literature ; 
and  they  were  forced,  in  self  defence,  to  pass  laws  which 
operated  directly  upon  their  slaves.  As  we  could  not 
stop  the  influx  of  this  pernicious  and  dangerous  literature, 
a  disabling  of  the  intellect  to  acquire  its  poison  was  our 
only  recourse.  Against  the  spread  of  the  leprosy  of 
murder,  rape  and  arson,  we  were  forced  to  use  the  vaccine 


54         AN  ECCENTRIC  ACQUAINTANCE. 

virus  of  enforced  ignorance.  Accordingly,  laws  were 
passed  forbidding  the  opening  of  schools  for  slaves 
and  forbidding  owners  to  suffer  their  slaves  to 
attend  schools.  And  laws,  already  on  the  statute  books, 
forbidding  the  sundering  of  family  ties,  were  repealed 
because  the  demoralization  resulting  from  the  teaching 
referred  to,  which  was  well  known  would  be  continued 
orally,  would  make  it  necessary,  occasionally,  that  a 
vicious  negro  should  be  removed  from  those  over  whom 
consanguineous  ties  naturally  gave  him  an  influence.  This 
was  hard  upon  the  poor  negro,  but  the  peculiar  circum- 
stances of  the  case  made  it  necessary  that  he  should  suffer 
this  wrong  for  the  good  of  society  and  for  his  own  good. 
Thus  you  see  the  unscrupulous  enterprise  of  our  Puritan 
brother — he  whose  microscopic  gaze  detects  motes  in  the 
eyes  of  all  the  world,  while  the  beams  in  his  own,  he  fondly 
believes,  the  world  will  mistake  for  acromatic  lenses — has 
done  us  a  great  wrong  and  has  forced  us  to  do  the  poor 
credulous,  impressionable  negro  a  greater,  if  that  were 
possible." 

"  Ah  !  sir,"  said  the  lady,  sadly,  "  I  have  often  wept  over 
the  troubles  between  the  North  and  South.  I  belong  to 
both  sections,  and  my  feelings  are  exemplified  by  Tupper's 
beautiful  idea  of '  thought  weeping  over  early  affections.' 
Often  have  I  prayed  that  the  South  might  have,  with  all 
her  other  noble  qualities,  the  self-sacrificing  magnanimity 
and  lofty  patriotism  to  abolish  slavery  of  her  own  volition. 
But,  alas  !  two  noble  peoples  are  about  to  rend  and  destroy 
each  other  simply  because  they  cannot  or  will  not  know  the 
goodness  in  each  other's  hearts." 

"  We  can  only  know  what  is  in  our  own  hearts,"  replied 
the  young  man,  with  a  sigh.  "  We  have  proved  our 
self-sacrificing  magnanimity  by  allowing  New  England  to 


a  fT'TTT:^       TTITT'lir  *  T   TT"       OT     A  TTTn    " 


THE   FEMALE  SLAVE."  55 

bleed  us  for  the  benefit  of  her  manufax3turing  industries, 
and  have  proved  our  lofty  patriotism  by  sending  the  flower 
of  our  land  to  fight — practically  almost  unaided  by  that 
section — the  battles  of  the  nation.  We  have  sacrificed 
our  colonial  prosperity  and  supremacy,  and  have  ignored, 
and  silently  submitted  to  the  denial  of,  the  great  natural 
superiority  of  our  section ;  all  in  the  interest  of  peace  and 
so-called  patriotism.  Did  we  form  the  government  only 
to  do  sacrifice  to  it ;  and  must  we  finally  sacrifice  all  that 
is  lefl  to  us — honor  and  manhood  ?  God  forbid  !  We 
can  see  our  land,  our  homes  and  fortunes,  wrecked  and 
ruined ;  the  despoiler  may  rob  us  of  all  else,  but  our 
honor  and  self-respect  we  shall  preserve  ! " 

"All  aboard!''  cried  the  conductor,  as  the  final  prepa- 
rations for  departure  were  completed  ;  and  the  young  man 
was  not  sorry  to  escape  from  the  thoughts  which,  to  every 
Southern  patriot,  were  as  the  broodings  of  a  demonian 
incubus,  Avhich  carried  the  sting  of  a  scorpion  in  its 
tail. 

"Mr.  Stewart,"  said  the  lady,  after  the  train  had  again 
gotten  fully  under  way,  "tell  me  about  the  female  slave — 
the  daughter  of  the  woman  you  spoke  of.  What  is 
she?'' 

"Marienne?  She  is  a  capital  housekeeper  and  seam- 
stress, and  as  nice  and  genteel  a  girl  as  there  is  in  the 
country." 

"Is  she  married?" 

"  Married  ?  No.  Who  is  there  that  she  could  marr}^  if 
she  had  ever  thought  of  such  a  thing?  She  has  negro  blood 
in  her  veins,  but  in  all  other  respects  she  is  immeasurably 
superior  to  any  one  who  would  think  of  offering  to  make 
her  his  wife." 

"  How  very  different  may  be  the  feelings  of  a  people 


56  AN   ECCENTRIC    ACQUAINTANCE. 

according  to  the  different  social  sentiments  which  may 
have  helped  to  form  their  mental  and  moral  characters ! 
ISTow,  I  should    not   consider   myself  superior   to   her. 

Indeed,  when  I  am  free  to  act,  that  is  if .Ah,  how 

foolishly  I  chatter !  You  will  think  I  have  some  very 
peculiar  mental  idiosyncrasies,  if  nothing  worse.  Tell 
me  about  the  young  man.'' 

"  Fox  is  a  little  older  than  myself,  and  is  one  of  the 
best  fellows  and  one  of  the  best  business  men  in  North 
Alabama." 

"Fox?     That  is  a  singular  name." 

"  It  is  only  a  nick-name.  He  was  named  for  his  father 
Cesare — Cesare  D'Elfons." 

"Cesare  D'Elfons !  Ah;  mon  Dieu!^'  exclaimed  the 
lady,  with  a  shudder,  looking  out  of  the  window ;  then 
suddenly  turning  and  looking  full  into  the  young  man's 
eyes,  she  asked,  "  Mr.  Stewart,  will  you  permit  me  to  visit 
you?" 

"  I  am  but  a  bachelor,  madam,"  replied  the  young  man, 
with  some  embarrassment,  "but  if  you  will  honor  my 
house  with  a  visit  Marienne  will  be  glad  to  entertain  you, 
and  I  shall  feel  highly  honored." 

"  I  thank  you  for  the  permission,  but  I  cannot  go  now. 
I  shall  come  when — ^that  is,  after — ah  !  I  do  not  know 
when  I  shall  come,  but  I  shall  come.  And  now,"  she 
added,  dramng  ofi  her  traveling  glove,  and  taking  a  large 
solitaire  diamond  ring  from  her  finger,  "will  you  allow 
me  to  present  this,  and  make  you  the  bearer  of  it,  to 
Marienne?  I  feel  a — an  interest  in  her,  and  would  be 
glad  to  have  her  wear  this,  by  which  I  could  recognize 
her,  should  we  ever  meet  accidentally." 

"I  hope,  madam,"  replied  the  young  man,  with  a  look 
of  surprised  embarrassment,  "you  will  excuse  me  if  I  must, 


'^FOX   GREETS   THE   MASTER."  57 

in  Marienne's  name,  decline  to  receive  so  costly  a  present 
from  one  whose  name  I  am  unable  to  repeat  to  her,  and 
whose  interest  in  her  history  and  welfare  I  shall  be  unable 
to  assign  a  reason  for.  Besides,  excuse  me  for  saying,  it 
is  not  a  suitable  ornament  for  one  in  her  position  to 
wear." 

"Yes,  yes,"  exclaimed  the  lady,  as  if  speaking  only  to 
herself,  "she  is  a  slave — a  slave.  Marienne  D^Elfons — • 
Cesare  D'Elfons — slaves!" 

At  this  moment  the  whistle  sounded  for  Mr.  Stewart's 
station,  and  that  gentleman,  excusing  himself  to  his  eccen- 
tric acquaintance,  who  seemed  under  the  influence  of  a 
sudden  fit  of  abstraction,  went  into  a  forward  car  to  look 
after  some  small  articles  of  baggage.  The  train  had  begun 
to  slow  up  before  he  reached  the  rear  car  on  his  return, 
and  as  he  approached  the  lady's  seat  the  rear  door  was 
thrown  violently  open,  and  Fox  rushing  forward  seized 
his  hand  and  gave  him  a  hearty  and  somewhat  boisterous 
welcome. 

"Ah !  Fox,  old  fellow,"  exclaimed  the  young  man, 
returning  the  greeting  with  equal  warmth,  "you  don't 
know  how  delighted  I  am  to  be  back  and  with  my  own  peo- 
ple again.  But  let  us  get  out  of  this  before  the  boys  come 
crowding  in  here.  Madam,"  he  added,  turning  to  his 
nameless  acquaintance,  "  I  regret  that  our  pleasant  acquaint- 
anceship is  so  soon  ended,  and  sincerely  hope  it  may  be 
resumed  at  some  future  time.  As  you  have  shown  some 
interest  in  his  history,  and  that  of  his  sister,  will  you  allow 
me — to — to  introduce " 

"  I  was  about  to  ask  you  to  do  me  the  kindness,"  replied 
the  lady,  filling  the  pause  and  turning  very  pale. 

Fox  was  formally  introduced,  and  Mr.  Stewart,  having 
spoken  the  usual  words  of  compliment  and  leave-taking, 


58  AN  ECCENTRIC    ACQUAINTANCE. 

left  the  two  in  conversation,  and  hastened  to  meet  the  party 
who  were  about  to  board  the  train  in  search  of  him. 

"  Mr.  D'Elfons/'  said  the  lady,  with  great  embarrass- 
ment, "  Mr.  Stewart  has  given  me  a  part  of  your  history 
and  that  of  your  sister.  I  feel  much  interested  in  you 
both — more  than  I  have  ever  before  felt  in  persons  who 
were  not  known  to  me  personally.  Is  your  sister  quite 
well  and  happy?'' 

"  Quite  so ;  thank  you,  madam,''  replied  Fox,  politely. 

"  And  you ;  are  you  contented  and  happy  ?  Do  you 
never  pine  to  be  free?" 

"  Free  from  the  curses  pronounced  upon  the  human 
family  in  the  Garden  of  Eden  ?     Yes,  madam." 

"And  free  from  slavery?" 

"  Who  can  be  free  from  slavery  ?  All  men  are  slaves  ! 
When  God  expelled  Adam  from  Paradise  and  pronounced 
the  fiat  that  his  seed  should  eat  bread  in  the  sweat  of 
their  brows,  he  passed  the  sentence  of  slavery  upon  all 
the  human  family." 

"  That  is  true  in  a  certain  sense,  but  you  are  a  chattel 
slave.  If  all  men  are  slaves,  you  are  the  slave  of  a 
slave !" 

"  And  yet  I  am  more  free  than  the  friend  and  gentle- 
man whom  the  law  calls  my  master.  He  has  cares  and 
anxieties,  trials  and  perplexities,  which  cannot  be  known 
to  me,  except  such  as  regard  for  him  shall  cause  me  to 
feel  on  his  account.  So  you  see  the  chattel  slave — ^the 
slave  of  a  slave — is  more  nearly  free  than  any  other 
human  being  can  be ;  he  is  free  from  care !" 

"  That  is  an  enviable  kind  of  freedom  !" 

"  Indeed  it  is  !  I  had  a  few  weeks  of  care  in  my  early 
boyhood,  and  it  was  terrible.  Shakspeare  asks  us,  ^  What's 
in  a  name?'     Mr.  Stewart  owns  more  than  fifty  slaves. 


"one  real  slave."  59 

They  owe  personal  service  to  him,  and  in  return  he 
assumes  all  of  their  cares  for  the  future  of  time,  and  con- 
siders himself,  to  a  certain  extent,  accountable  for  the  well- 
being  of  their  souls  hereafter.  How  many  real  slaves  are 
on  that  plantation  ?     One  !  '^ 

"And  Marienne;  does  she  think  and  feel  as  you  do?" 

"  I  haven't  a  doubt  of  it.  But  excuse  me,  madam,"  he 
added,  springing  to  his  feet,  "  the  train  is  moving  and  I 
must  say  adieu." 

"  Farewell  Cesare,"  said  the  lady,  growing  very  pale 
and  extending  her  hand.  "  May  God  bless  Mr.  Stewart's 
household,  and  you  and  your  sister  particularly.  We 
shall  meet  again,  before  very  long  perhaps,  but  it  would 
be  wicked  and  unfilial  in  me  to  hope  so ;  and  yet  I  long 

to  meet  Marienne  ;  to  press  her Ah  ;  pardon  me  ! " 

she  exclaimed,  suddenly  seizing  a  small  package  and 
handing  it  to  Fox.  "  This  is  your  sister's  !  Young  men 
are  so  forgetful !" 

Fox,  supposing  the  bundle  to  contain  some  small  pres- 
ent for  his  sister,  which  Mr.  Stewart  had  probably  been 
showing  to  the  eccentric  lady,  dropped  it  into  his  pocket, 
responded  to  the  last  words  of  leave-taking,  and  sprang 
from  the  coach  as  the  train  had  begun  to  acquire  speed. 


CHAPTER   IV. 
A  Gentle  Pukitan. 

"  Thine  is  a  face  to  look  upon  and  pray 
That  a  pure  spirit  keep  thee." — Willis. 

"  Sh^d  baffle  paintem  to  decipher 
Her  exactly f  as  bad  as  agues  puzzle  doctors." — Robekt  Neville. 

'^  MISS  FLORENCE,  oleMarster  says,  ef  you  please, 

^^  to  step  down  to  de  private  parlor/' 

"  Jane,''  said  the  young  lady  addressed  as  "  Miss  Flor- 
ence," looking  at  the  servant  with  mild  reproof  expressed 
in  her  gentle  blue  eyes,  "  has  not  Dr.  Hansel  directed  over 
and  again  that  you  shall  not  speak  of  him  as  ^ole 
Marster?'" 

"  Yes,  Miss ;  but  I  never  kin  git  used  to  callin'  him  no 
^  Dr.  Hansel,'  an'  dats  a  fack." 

"  Why  not,  pray  ?  " 

"  'Cause  it  'pears  like  I's  puttin  on  white-folkes  a'rs." 

"  Well,  if  Dr.  Hansel  chooses  for  you  to  put  on  ^  white- 
folks'  airs,'  it  is  your  business  to  do  so,  I  imagine." 

"  Oh  no,  young  miss ;  dars  w^here  you's  mistaken  !  He 
hired  me  to  'tend  de  do',  fix  up  de  parlers,  wait  on  you ; 
dats  three,"  said  the  girl,  counting  on  her  fingers,  "  an'  fill 
up  de  lamps.  Dats  fo',  an'  draps  on  dis  little  finger,  an' 
dats  de  een  of  all  de  businesses  ! " 

"  But,"  said  the  young  lady,  wath  a  faint  smile,  "  if  you 
do  not  consider  it  a  part  of  your  business  to  conform  to 
his  wishes  in  every  particular,  I  should  imagine  you  could 

60 


"a  disciple  of  dakwin/'  61 

have  no  objiection  to  his  trying  to  make  a  human  of 
you.'^ 

"  Human  !  What  is  I  ef  I  ain't  a  human  ? "  exclaimed 
the  girl,  indignantly.  "  What  does  our  own  white  folkes 
build  meetin'  houses  an'  hire  preachers  for  us  for  ef  we 
ain't  humans  ?  An'  what  does  dey  take  de  sacrament  an 
pray  wid  us  for  ef  we  ain't  humans  ?     Umph  ! " 

"  Of  course  you  are,  Jane  !"  said  the  young  lady,  apolo- 
getically ;  "  I  would  be  one  of  the  last  in  the  world  to 
deny  the  fact ;  and  my  only  object  in  the  silly  remark  was 
to  stimulate  your  self-respect.  I  meant  no  offense ;  pray 
excuse  me." 

"  Lawd,  young  mistis,  how  you  does  talk  ! "  exclaimed 
the  good-natured  girl,  "  I  ain't  mad ;  an'  ef  I  was  I 
couldn't  stay  mad  wid  you  no  longer  dan  I  could  wid 
Muscadine  preserves,  an'  dem  is  de  sweetest  thing  in  de 
world.  But  I  thought  maybe  you  believes  what  Mars' 
Majer  Anderson's  carriage  driver — dat  yaller-face 
Sawney — says  'bout  niggers." 

"  And  what  does  Sawney  say  ? "  asked  the  young  lady, 
amused  at  the  quick  transition  of  the  girl's  countenance 
from  clouds  to  sunshine. 

"  He  says  dat  niggers  ain't  humans ;  dat  once  in 
Guinny  or  Novy  Scoshy,  or  some  whar  dat  monkeys 
lives,  one  ole  outlandish  man  kep'  a  store,  an'  de  monkeys 
kept  stealin'  his  whiskey,  till  bimeby  he  come  home  one 
day  an'  ketched  a  whole  passel  of  'em  dead  drunk  ;  an' 
he  thinlvs  if  monkeys  can  drink  whiskey,  like  folkes,  dey 
can  work  like  folkes,  so  he  took  an'  whacked  off  der  tails 
an'  put  'em  to  hoin'  cott'n ;  an'  dat  was  de  beginnin'  of 
niggers.     He's  a  fool — dat  Sawney  is  ! " 

"  Very  ridiculous  indeed  !  But  you  can  go  now,  Jane," 
said  the  young  lady,  scarcely  able  to  repress  her  desire  to 


62  A   GENTLE   PURITAN. 

laugh  outright  at  the  girPs  earnest  indignation.  '^  Please 
say  to  Dr.  Hansel  that  I  will  be  with  him  in  a  few 
moments." 

The  foregoing  dialogue  occurred  in  a  private  room  of 
the  "  Atheneum/'  a  large  female  school  in  the  quiet  little 
county  town  of  Barrensville.  As  its  name  was  doubtless 
intended  to  indicate,  the  little  town  is  situated  in  a  region 
of  country  known  as  the  Barrens ;  not  because  it  is  actually 
barren, (for  it  is  covered,  where  the  timber  has  not  been 
cleared  off  by  small  farmers,  with  a  heavy  growth  of 
majestic  trees  of  the  usual  forest  varieties,  including  walnut 
and  hickory,) but  because  the  soil  is  less  fertile  than  in 
other  portions  of  the  countrj^,  and  is  adapted  only  to  the 
production  of  the  cereals  of  the  South.  The  soil  being 
quite  porous,  affords  free  percolation  to  the  heavy  annual 
rain-fall,  and  furnishes  no  marsh  surface  as  a  lurking-place 
for  pestilence-breeding  malaria,  except  here  and  there,  in 
widely-separated  localities,  where  white  or  blue  fuller's- 
earth  may  be  found  superincumbent  upon  the  porous 
stratum.  The  topography  of  the  country  is  gently  undu- 
lating, with  here  and  there  precipitous  little  declivities 
along  the  margins  of  transparent  little  streams,  some  of 
which,  abounding  in  "trout,'^  or  black-bass,  and  other 
game  fishes,  form  chains  of  clear,  cool,  shadowy  pools  or 
lakelets,  generally  of  considerable  depth,  connected  by 
beautiful  stretches  of  swiftly-flowing  but  limpid  and  noise- 
less water.  Of  course,  the  region  is  healthy,  as  well  as 
beautiful,  and  furnishes  the  essential  requirements  of  a 
location  for  a  temple  dedicated  to  the  mental  training  of 
the  dainty  daughters  of  the  lordly  planters. 

At  the  time  of  which  we  speak,  three-fourths  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  village  were  wealthy  planters,  who 
resided  there  permanently,  for  the  benefit  of  the   whole- 


"a  puritan  southern  teacher.'^  63 

some  atmosphere,  and  with  a  view  to  educating  their 
children,  without  depriving  them  of  the  hallowed  influ- 
ences of  the  home  circle ;  while  other  planters  in  the  sur- 
rounding country,  who  from  choice  or  necessity  resided 
on  their  properties,  patronized  the  school  very  liberally. 

The  present  President,  Dr.  Hansel,  had  been  the  prin- 
cipal for  less  than  two  years.  He  had  obtained  the 
position  through  the  influence  of  Messrs.  Banks,  Conrad 
&  Co.,  bankers  and  brokers,  of  New  York,  Mr.  Conrad 
being  a  nephew  to  Mrs.  Hansel,  and  a  personal  friend  to 
Mr.  Stewart,  whom  we  have  already  introduced  to  the 
reader,  whose  acquaintance  he  had  made  at  the  University 
of  Virginia,  which  was  also  his  Alma  Mater.  Mr.  Conrad 
had  heard,  accidentally,  of  the  vacancy  through  his  friend, 
and  through  him  made  the  successful  application  for  his 
relative  by  marriage.  Dr.  Hansel,  in  middle  life,  had 
married  a  Mrs.  Seymour,  the  widow  of  Mr.  Conrad's 
uncle,  who  had  been  a  stock  broker  of  great  wealth,  but 
who  failed  and  died  when  his  little  girl  Florence  was  less 
than  two  years  old.  During  the  first  year  of  Dr.  HansePs 
incumbency  he  held  himself  very  much  aloof  from  the 
society  of  the  town  and  of  the  neighboring  plantations ; 
but  Miss  Seymour,  being  cultured  and  refined,  as  well  as 
sensible,  unaflected  and  very  beautiful,  there  was  an 
earnest  protest,  on  the  part  of  the  young  people,  against 
the  light  of  her  golden  hair  and  soft  blue  eyes  being 
hidden  under  Dr.  HansePs  bushel  of  prejudice  and 
asceticism. 

"  Ah  !  papa,"  said  Miss  Seymour,  bounding  gracefully, 
and  just  a  little  boisterously,  into  the  room  in  obedience 
to  the  old  gentleman's  request ;  "  I  fear  I  have  kept  you 
waiting,  but  Jane  is  so  entertaining  occasionally,  and  I  am 
so  *  primpy '  sometimes,  that  occasionally  I  am  behind  time. 


64  A   dEXTLE   PURITAN. 

Do  you  wish  to  scold  me  for  not  practicing  my  harp  lesson 
to-day  ?  Oh,  it  is  just  too  dreadful  on  the  fingers  !  Makes 
corns  or  blistei's,  I  do  assure  you  ! " 

"  Sit  down,  child/^  said  the  old  gentleman,  rather  gruf- 
fly, but  with  a  cold  smile.  "You  are  getting  too  old  for 
those  childish  airs  and  graces.  I  have  a  serious  talk  for 
you.     Mr.  Deaderick  has  just  left  me.'' 

'^  Oh,  indeed  ! ''  replied  the  young  lady,  making  a 
laughing  grimace  ;  "  I  suppose  Mr.  Deaderick  would  not 
stay  to  hear  all  of  your  ^  serious  talk,'  so  you  wish  to 
have  it  out  on  me  ! " 

"  Don't  be  silly,  child.  You  know  very  well  the  ob- 
ject of  Mr.  Deaderick's  visit,"  said  the  old  gentleman, 
looking  steadily  at  her. 

"  Indeed  ! "  replied  the  young  lady,  with  a  slightly  con- 
temptuous toss  of  her  shapely  head.  "  I  hope  Mr. 
Deaderick  does  not  presume  to  believe  that  I  can  be  in 
any  way  interested  in  an}i;hing  that  may  interest  him." 

"Why  do  you  talk  in  that  manner?"  said  the  old 
gentleman,  impatiently  ?  "  You  know,  as  well  as  I  do,  that 
his  visit  had  reference  to  yourself." 

"  Indeed  !  Does  he  wish  to  hear  me  deliver  another 
homily  on  the  sinfulness  of  slavery,  while  he  assents,  like 
a  coward,  to  all  that  I  say,  but  goes  on  buying  more 
slaves  all  the  same  ?  " 

"  He  is  not  buying  more  slaves.  On  the  contrar}^,  he 
recognizes  his  moral  obligations  in  the  matter,  and  is  get- 
ting rid  of  his  slaves.  In  a  few  months  he  will  not  own 
a  slave." 

"  Oh,  indeed  !     Is  he  freeing  them  ?  " 

"  No,  of  course  not !  He  is  doing  what  all  other  sensi- 
ble Northern  men  here  ought  to  and  wdll  do.  He  is 
selling  them  to  the  men  here  who  are  responsible  for  the 


"the   puritan  SLAVEftOLDEES."  65 

crime  of  slavery,  and  should  be  made  to  bear  all  the  loss 
of  its  abolition/' 

"  Is  the  man,  who  by  the  accident  of  birth  is  a  slave- 
holder, more  responsible  for  the  crime  than  he  who, 
through  choice,  comes  to  the  South  and  purchases  slaves  ?  " 

"  Child,  you  do  not  understand  these  matters  ! "  said 
the  old  gentleman,  peevishly.  ^'  The  forefathers  of  these 
people  are  chiefly  responsible  for  the  crime,  and  we  intend 
to  visit  the  sins  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children,  even 
down  to  the  present  generation.  Does  not  Holy  writ 
authorize  us  to  do  so  ?  " 

"  Vengeance  is  mine,  saith  the  Lord  ! "  quoted  the 
young  lady.  "But  did  not  our  forefathers  establish 
slavery  in  New  England,  and  even  enslave  the  poor  Indi- 
ans— the  owners  of  the  soil  upon  which  they  were  tres- 
passers ? '' 

*'  How  foolishly  you  chatter  !  '^  said  the  old  gentleman, 
with  an  angry  frown.  "  If  they  did  all  this  they  afterward 
put  free  laws  upon  their  statute  books,  and  this  relieves 
their  children  of  any  inherited  curse  on  that  account.^' 

"  History  tells  us  that  slave  labor  was  not  profitable  in 
the  poor  soil  and  cold  climate  of  New  England.  This 
being  the  case,  is  it  fair  or  safe  to  take  it  for  granted  that 
the  Father  of  All  approved  the  motives  of  our  fore- 
fathers in  selling  their  slaves  to  the  South  and  putting 
free  laws  upon  their  statute  books,  and  that  He  has  not 
only  suspended  the  law  with  reference  to  inherited  respon- 
sibility in  their  favor,  but  has  even  made  them  His 
chosen  people  to  avenge  similar  crimes  in  others  ?  " 

"  \Yhat  in  the  name  of  common  sense  are  you  talking 
about  ? "  exclaimed  the  old  gentleman,  ^\dth  open-eyed 
astonishment  and  anger.  "  What  do  you  mean  by  our 
forefathers  selling  their  slaves  to  the  South  !     Eh  ? '' 


66  A  (JENTLE  PURITAN. 

"  I  mean,"  said  the  young  lady,  with  an  amused  smile, 
"  that  in  all  New  England  only  fifty-three  Tiegro  slaves 
were  emancipated  by  the  law ;  the  others  being  sold 
before  the  time  appointed  for  the  law  to  go  into  effect. 
But  were  this  not  the  case — were  our  skirts  entirely  clear 
of  sin  in  this  respect — have  we  the  right  to  punish  these 
people  for  their  sins,  and  to  teach  them  a  great  truth 
which  they  do  not  desire  to  learn  of  us  ?  " 

"  You  are  demented  !  You  have  lost  your  senses  ! " 
exclaimed  the  old  gentleman,  in  astonishment.  "  Yes,  it 
is  not  only  the  right,"  he  continued,  with  angry  vehem- 
ence, "  but  the  duty  of  a  highly  civilized  and  God-fearing 
people,  like  ourselves,  to  correct  error  and  punish  wrong 
and  crime  wherever  found  !  " 

"But  suppose  the  error  and  wrong  be  recognized  and 
sanctioned  by  a  solemn  compact,  and  the  would-be  pun- 
ishers  a  willing  party  to  that  compact." 

"A  compact  with  violators  of  God's  holy  law," 
replied  the  old  gentleman,  more  mildly,  "is  ab  initio  m^ 
and  void.  In  this  case,  as  has  been  well  said  by  our  lead- 
ing New  England  statesman,  it  is  a  league  with  Death  and 
a  covenant  with  Hell,  which  should  bind  no  Christian 
people." 

"Are  we  speaking  of  moral  or  political  obligations?" 

"Fiddlesticks!  What's  the  difference?  I  pity  the 
poor,  God-condemned  creatures,  whose  social  crimes  are 
such  that  they  cannot  make  their  religion  their  politics  and 
their  politics  their  religion.  I  am  happy  to  say  that  our 
Puritan  stock  has  always  been  able  to  do  so." 

"Were  not  our  forefathers  willing  parties  to  the  com- 
pact which  you  say  has  been  styled  a  ^  league  with  death, 
etc?' " 

"Of  course  they  assented  to  the  terms  of  the  constitu- 


"are  compacts  like  pie-crusts?"  67 

tion  a^s  the  best  compromise  of  conflicting  sentiments  and 
interests  that  could  be  obtained  at  that  time.  There  could 
have  been  no  union  without  such  compromise.  But  they 
did  not  wait  many  years  before  they  commenced  to  culti- 
vate the  sentiments  which  they  knew  would,  in  good  time, 
produce  the  harvest  that  is  now  ready  for  the  husband- 
man." 

"Did  they  sow  the  wind  that  we  might  reap  the  whirl- 
wind?" 

"Eh?" 

"Did  they  sow  bad  faith  and  fanaticism  that  this 
generation  might  reap  battle  and  murder,  rapine  and 
ruin?" 

"What  the  dickens  do  you  mean?  Have  you  lost  what 
little  wit  nature  gave  you?" 

"I  only  mean  to  ask,"  replied  the  young  lady,  in  a  sup- 
pressed voice,  "  if  our  forefathers  were  more  ready  to  make 
solemn  compacts  or  compromises  than  to  be  bound  by 
their  terms?"  She  paused  a  moment  for  a  reply,  but 
receiving  none,  continued  :  "  I  know  nothing  about  poli- 
tics but  the  little  I  have  learned  here,  chiefly  from  pupils 
of  the  school.  I  could,"  she  continued,  after  another 
pause  for  the  information  desired,  "find  it  in  my  heart  to 
repudiate  my  maternal  ancestry  if  I  could  believe  that  they 
had  put  on  the  lamb's  skin  of  innocence  to  make  a  com- 
pact, the  spirit  of  which  they  immediately  violated,  and 
the  letter  of  which  they  taught  should  be  violated  4n  good 
time'  by  their  children,  even  though  a  brother's  blood 
should  dye  their  hands  and  stain  their  souls." 

When  the  young  lady  ceased  to  speak  she  was  uncon- 
scious that  her  mild  blue  eyes  emitted  a  light  such  as  had 
never  been  seen  in  them  before.'  Could  it  be  that  con- 
tempt for  the  character  of  ^Ir.  Deaderick,  who  for  the 

5 


68  A   GENTLE   PURITAN. 

moment  was  perhaps  her  typical  forefather  and  descend- 
ant, both  in  one,  had  caused  her  unwonted  excitement  and 
indignation?  Dr.  Hansel  seemed  to  be  revolving  this 
problem  in  his  mind,  as  he  gazed  at  her  angrily.  Finally 
he  said,  in  a  voice  that  trembled  with  suppressed  anger, 
not  unmixed  with  contempt : 

"You  could  find  it  in  your  heart  to  prove  yourself  a 
most  egregiously  silly  little  goose !  What  business  have 
you  to  be  talking  about  matters  affecting  your  people  with 
the  simple  little  chits  in  this  school?  Our  histories, 
written  by  our  own  literary  men  in  New  England,  give 
you  all  that  is  necessary  to  know  about  the  past  of  this 
countiy,  North  and  South.  But  I  did  not  send  for  you 
to  hear  you  declaim  your  silly  and  unnatural  nonsense. 
Mr.  Deaderick  has  been  here,  as  I  told  you.  He  is  an 
honorable  gentleman,  well  educated  and  wealthy — the 
wealthiest  young  man  in  the  country — and  would  make  a 
most  desirable  husband  for  any  young  lady,  even  the 
proudest  in  the  land.^^ 

"Did  he  desire  you  to  say  that,  sir?"  asked  the  young 
lady,  as  the  fire  left  her  eyes  and  the  sparkle  of  mirthftd 
sauciness  returned. 

"Stop,  young  miss,  you  forget  yourself,'^  said  the  old 
gentleman,  sternly. 

"Pardon  me,  sir,  I  do,"  replied  the  young  lady,  with 
serious  candor.  "But  I  do  not  wish  to  be  annoyed  by 
Mr.  Deaderick,  either  in  person  or  by  proxy.  He  is  fine- 
looking,  handsome  and  wealthy,  but  he  does  not  possess 
one  single  quality  which  can  recommend  him  to  my 
regard." 

"  Regard  !  Bosh !  Under  ordinary  circumstances,  I 
should  not  urge  you  to  marry  any  one ;  but  in  these  times 
we  must  look  facts  in  the  face.     Mr.  Deaderick  is  veiy 


"can  love  be  bought?"  69 

wealthy,  and  you  are  very  poor.  It  is  true  that  I  am 
making  several  thousand  dollars  a  year  here,  and,  so  long 
as  I  am  able,  I  shall  support  you  in  comfort.  I  intend 
to  remain  here  and  discharge  the  full  duties  of  my  positioji, 
but  it  is  to  be  expected  that  the  war  will  diminish  my 
income  very  materially ;  and  it  may  be  that  the  school 
will  be  entirely  broken  up,  and  I  be  forced  to  seek  other 
means  of  support  for  you  and  your  mother.  The  money 
I  have  made  here,  so  far,  has  all  been  sent  to  Hartford  to 
release  your  mother's  home,  inherited  from  her  father, 
from  the  mortgage  we  had  to  put  on  it  before  we  came 
here ;  and  if  I  should  lose  this  income  we  would  be 
beggars  in  a  strange  land.  Your  marriage  wiih.  Mr. 
Deaderick  will  be  a  guarantee  for  the  future  to  your  mother 
as  well  as  to  yourself." 

"  Ah  !  sir,"  said  the  young  lady,  passionately,  covering 
her  face  with  her  hands,  "  would  you  have  me  marry  the 
man  for  his  wealth  ?  " 

"  Of  course  not,  my  child,"  said  the  old  gentleman, 
soothingly,  "  but  I  do  not  see  why  you  may  not  '  regard ' 
Mr.  Deaderick.  I  know  no  handsomer  man  in  the 
country ;  no  gentleman  more  polished  in  his  manners ; 
and  then  his  feelings  and  sympathies  are  the  same  as 
ours." 

"  I  pray  you  not  to  speak  of  him,"  exclaimed  the  young 
lady,  again  burying  her  face  in  her  hands,  while  something 
like  a  shiver  shook  her  slender  form.  "  I  can  never 
marry  him  !  Never j  never  1  The  very  thought  makes 
my  soul  shudder  ! " 

"  Umph  ! "  ejaculated  the  old  gentleman,  thoughtfully, 
wiping  his  spectacles  and  replacing  them  on  his  nose,  "  a 
shuddering  soul  may  be  bad  enough,  but  I  assure  you  a 
hungry  stomach  would  be  far  worse.     I  hope  you  have 


70  A   GENTLE   PURITAK. 

not  allowed  yourself  to  become  interested  in  some  unre- 
pentant slave-breeder/^ 

The  young  lady  made  no  reply  to  tbis  suggestion,  but 
proudly  raising  ber  bowed  head,  she  shook  back  her 
tangled  ringlets,  and  walking  to  a  window,  looked  out 
upon  the  back  yard. 

"  I  know,"  continued  the  old  gentleman,  observing  her 
closely,  "  that  young  Stewart  was  somewhat  attentive  to 
you  last  winter,  but,  while  I  admit  that  he  is  rather 
passable  looking,  and  possesses  talents,  such  as  they  are, 
it  is  utterly  impossible  that  you  could  have  suffered  your- 
self to  become  interested  in  him,  bound  as  he  is,  body  and 
soul,  to  the  Juggernaut  of  slavery." 

The  old  gentleman  paused  for  a  reply,  but  the  young 
lady  seemed  interested  in  something  going  on  in  the  kitchen 
yard,  which  she  watched  very  attentively. 

"  Besides,"  he  continued,  wdth  a  frown,  "  there  are  some 
ugly  rumors  afloat  respecting  his  moral  character.  His 
house-keeper,  it  is  said,  is  a  very  beautiful  Creole  woman 
— his  slave,  but  as  white  as  any  lady  in  the  land, — 
who  dresses  very  handsomely  occasionally,  and  w^ears 
laces  and  jewels.  You  are  aware  that  the  authority 
of  the  master,  and  his  power  over  his  slaves,  are  almost 
unlimited." 

Again  the  old  gentleman  paused  for  a  reply,  but  the 
young  lady  was  still  intently  gazing  into  the  yard.  The 
crimson  which  dyed  her  ears  and  the  back  of  her  neck, 
however,  told  him  that  she  had  not  been  an  inattentive 
and  uninterested  listener  to  his  remarks.  After  a  few 
moments  of  silence,  which  the  old  gentleman  did  not  seem 
to  desire  to  fill  with  additional  innuendoes,  she  turned, 
with  composure,  and  looking  into  his  eyes,  said : 

*^  Well,  su' ;  I  am  glad  you  have  finished  the  serious 


"love  ghtes  itself."  71 

talk  Mr.  Deaderick  gave  you  for  me.  He  does  me  honor  ! 
Oh,  so  much  honor ! "  and  with  a  stately  courtesy,  she 
turned  to  leave  the  room. 

"  Stop,  young  lady,"  said  the  old  gentleman,  angrily ; 
but  as  she  seemed  not  to  heed  him,  he  exclaimed, 
vehemently,  "  Miss  Seymour,  I  command  you  to  stay ! 
You  forget  yourself  again,  miss  ! " 

"  Pardon  me,  sir,"  replied  the  young  lady,  as  she  drew 
the  door  open,  and  turning,  looked  into  the  eyes  of  the 
irate  old  man.  "  It  is  you  who  forget  yourself,"  and  the 
next  instant  she  had  closed  the  door,  and  was  gone. 

"Blood  and  fury?  My  little  Lady  Macbeth!"  ex- 
claimed the  old  man,  starting  up  as  if  to  follow  her ;  but 
changing  his  mind  he  strided  to  a  window  and  looked 
out,  while  his  contracted  brow  and  compressed  lips  told  of 
more  than  a  momentary  emotion  of  anger.  "  Ah  ! "  said 
he,  finally,  bringing  his  clenched  fist  with  force  down  upon 
the  window-sill,  as  if  stamping  his  seal  upon  some  docu- 
ment of  portentous  import,  "  she  is  no  longer  a  child. 
I  have  to  deal  with  a  self-willed  woman.  Am  I  equal  to 
the  emergency  ?     By  the  powers,  we'll  see  ! " 

Turning  from  the  door  the  young  lady  ran  lightly 
down  the  long  hall,  up  a  broad  staircase,  past  several 
doors,  and  into  the  sanctum  sanctorum  of  her  own  hand- 
some little  chamber,  where,  throwing  herself,  face  down- 
ward, upon  her  snowy  little  couch,  she  burst  into  a  fit  of 
passionate  weeping  which,  after  the  first  paroxysm  had 
subsided,  gave  no  outward  sign.  Had  she  been  called  on 
at  that  time  to  give  an  analysis  of  her  feelings  and  emo- 
tions, it  would  not  have  been  possible  for  her  to  do  so. 
She  had,  however,  been  made  painfully  conscious  of  two 
facts.  First,  that  she  loved  Mr.  Stewart !  Yes,  lovedj 
LOVED  him  !    And  second,  that   she — well,  yes,  hated 


72  A  GENTLE  PURITAN. 

Mr.  Deaderick !  She  recalled  the  fact  that  Mr.  Stewart 
had  never  spoken  to  her  of  love ;  but  had  her  own  timid 
coyness  ever  afforded  him  a  fitting  opportunity  to  do  so  ? 
Had  not  his  eyes  spoken  ?  Had  not  his  soul  telegraphed 
to  hers,  and  didn't  she  now  understand  the  sweet  import 
of  the  messages  ?  Was  it  not  possible,  too,  that  her  soul 
had  telegraphed  back  the  existence  of  a  sentiment  which 
her  intellect  believed  to  be  only  friendly  regard,  but 
which  the  two  consulting  souls  knew  to  be  Destiny  f 
Lastly,  could  her  instincts  be  at  fault,  and  had  her  soul 
enshrined  an  unworthy  object  ?     Imj^ossible  ! 

She  had  lain  for  a  long  time  mute  and  motionless, 
engaged  in  such  thoughts  and  mapping  out  her  future 
course,  when  the  door  was  quietly  opened  by  Jane,  who 
entered,  humming  a  tune  in  a  subdued  voice,  with  half  a 
dozen  towels  on  her  arm.  Suddenly  starting,  she  exclaimed : 

^^  Lawd  sakes  !  young  miss,  how  you  did  sheer  me  !  I 
thought  you  was  a  dead  sperit !  An'  bless  de  Lawd  ef 
you  ain't  been  cryin'.  What's  de  matter,  honey  ?  Is  dat 
ole  watsisname  bin  quarrelin'  wid  you  ?  " 

"  Jane,"  said  the  young  lady,  rising  to  a  sitting  position 
and  shading  her  eyes  with  her  hand;  "you  must  not 
speak  in  that  way  of  my  step-father.    It  is  not  respectful." 

"  'Taint,  honey  ?  Well,  I  axes  your  pardin' ;  but  you 
has  des  come  from  dar  an'  you's  cryin'.     How's  dat  ? " 

"You  are  always  on  the  lookout,  Jane,"  said  the 
young  lady,  reprovingly,  "  for  some  fault  to  find  of  my 
step-father.     But  did  you  ever  have  the  toothache  ?  " 

"  Lawd,  no,  miss ;  all  my  tooths  sound  es  a  dollar.'^ 

"  Do  yo  know  what  is  good  for  it  ?  '^ 

"  Ef  my  own  ole  miss  was  here  she'd  cure  you  'fore 
you'd  say  ^  Jackrobison.'  I'll  run  for  your  ma,"  said 
the  sympathizing  creature,  dropping  her  towels. 


"pleasant  anticipatioxs.''  73 

"  Oh,  no ;  don't  do  that.  Here,  just  bind  one  of  the 
towels  around  my  face/' 

While  Jane  was  adjusting  the  towel  she  ran  on  :  "  I's 
mighty  sorry,  young  miss,  your  tooth  hurts ;  'deed  I  is. 
Always  makes  me  sorry  ef  anything's  ailin'  dem  I  likes ; 
and  I  likes  you  next  to  my  own  young  miss — I  does  in 
fack.  I  wan't  sposin'  nothin'  was  hurtin'  nobody,  an' 
I  was  feelin'  lively  es  a  cricket  on  de  hath  ;  and  dar 
you  was  wid  de  toothache  des  rampagin'  throo  your 
jaw  bone." 

"  What  was  making  you  feel  so  lively,  Jane  ?  "  asked 
the  young  lady,  lying  back  on  the  bed,  and  feeling  that 
she  would  be  glad  to  amuse  herself  in  any  possible  way 
after  her  unusual  turmoil  of  feeling. 

"  Why,  Dick  Styode  was  here  'while  ago,  an'  he  said 
Mars'  Chyarles  was  comin'  home  to-morrer ! " 

"Well,  what  of  that?" 

"  Why,  don't  you  know  he  always  gives  his  folkes  a 
fish-fry  in  de  spring  ?" 

"Well?" 

"  An'  dey  alw^ays  invites  our  folkes,  an'  you  will  ax  ole 
wats — I  mean  ole  Mars'  Dr.  Hansel  to  let  me  go  an'  stay 
all  night." 

"  When  does  he  give  the  fish-fry  ?  " 

"  Ginerally  when  de  red-buds  is  in  blossom,  for  den  the 
fust  fishes  runs ;  if  dey  misses  dat,  dey  has  it  w^hen  de 
dogwoods  blossom,  for  den  de  red-fish  runs,  an'  later  on 
we  has  a  plenty  of  trouts,  goggle-eyes,  an'  sich,  till  frost." 

"  But  w^hen  is  the  present  fry  to  be?" 

"  Des  as  soon  as  Mars'  Chyarles  gits  home  an'  dey  can 
make  de  'rangements." 

"  What  arrangements  are  necessary  ?  " 

"  Why,  dey  has  to  knock  up  a  big  flatform,  bigger  'n 


74  A   GEIS^TLE   PURITAN. 

de  concert  hall,  fix  up  de  seins  an^  things,  an^  write  to 
Huntsville  for  de  ban'  and  fixins/' 

"  Do  you  have  a  band  to  dance  to  ?^' 

"  Bless  your  innercent  soul,  honey,  de  ban'  is  to  listen 
at !  Ban'  music  is  good  enough  for  white  folks  to  dance 
arter,  but  it's  too  slow  for  niggers." 

"  Why,  don't  you  dance  ?  " 

"  'Deed  we  does  !  But  we  dances  arter  de  banjer  an' 
fiddle.  Niggers  wants  de  music  quick  an'  lively,  so  dey 
can  fling  foot  in  a  hurry." 

"  Does  Mr.  Stewart  dance  ? "  asked  the  young  lady, 
with  a  slight,  self-condemning  flush,  while  she  re-arranged 
the  towel  around  her  face. 

"  Tee-hee  !"  snickered  Jane,  putting  her  hand  over  her 
mouth  as  if  to  arrest  a  more  boisterous  demonstration  of 
amusement  should  it  attempt  to  escape.  ''  Ko'm  !  dat  he 
don't !  He  looks  like  he's  mos'  too  good  to  walk  on  God's 
green  yearth,  much  less  dance  on  a  nigger's  flatform  !" 

"  What  !  proud  ?  " 

"  No'm ;  not  zackly  proud  ;  des  sort  'er  gran'  like.  Ef 
he  was  to  git  up  dar  and  cut  de  pigeon-wing,"  she  added, 
again  putting  her  hand  over  her  mouth,  '^  I  speck  de 
niggers  would  faint.  But  he  ain't  what  I  calls  proud,  like 
ole  watsis — I  mean  like  some  folks  I  knows.  He 
wouldn't  mind  de  little  niggers  feelin'  in  his  duster 
pockets  for  nuts  an'  goodies — an'  I  has  seed  'em  do  it 
many  a  time — but  all  de  same  when  he  walks  aroun',  de 
men  can't  help  from  takin'  off  der  hats,  an'  de  gals 
kurchevs." 

"  AVkat  does  he  do  there,  then  ?" 

"  You  see,  him  an'  Fox  'tends  'round  an'  sees  dat  de 
lemonade  an'  things  is  fixed  up,  de  tables  sot,  an'  so  on ; 
an'  dat  no  stray  nigger  don't  fetch  no  licker  dar  an'  kick 


"a  little  gossip."  75 

up  a  rumpus ;    but    all    hands  ^haves    demselves    like 
gentPmen's  niggers,  es  dey  is." 

"  I  suppose  Fox  and  his  sister  dance  ?  " 

"  'Deed  dey  don't !  ^ey  thinks  dey's  mos'  es  gran'  'es 
Mars'  Chyarles  !  But  dey  can  jabber  dat  outlandish  talk — 
French,  dat's  what  dey  calls  it — an'  dey  can  jabber  it  like 
wild  Injuns." 

"  I  suppose  you  can  understand  them  only  when  they 
speak  in  English  ?"  laughed  the  young  lady. 

"  Inglish  !  Lawd,  miss,  I  don't  know  nothin'  'bout  no 
Inglish ;  but  dat  gal  can  git  away  wid  de  Inglish  an' 
all  de  balance  of  'em — jabber  jibber,  jibber  jabber — an' 
sing  !  you  des  ought  to  hear  dat  gal  sing  ! — make  your 
har  rise  on  your  head  !" 

"  Did  it  make  yours  rise?" 

"  Lawd,  miss!"  laughed  the  girl,  "you's  a  makin'  fun. 
My  har  has  got  de  rale  ole  nigger  kink  in  it.  But  her 
har  is  a  heap  straighter'n  yourn,  and  as  black  as  tar ;  an' 
so  is  her  eyes.  You  des  oughter  seed  dem  eyes  once  las' 
fall,  at  de  barbecue,  when  INIr.  Watyoumacallim  Deader- 
ick  said  somethin'  sassy  to  her  !  Dey  fairly  shined  like 
fire  coals,  an'  she  flung  dat  outlandish  jabber  at  him  in 
sich  a  hurry  dat  he  des  sneaked  off  an'  moped  like  a 
orphan  puppy." 

"Sarcastic,  is  she?" 

"  Yes,  indeed ;  ef  dat  means  pritty !  She's  as  pritty 
as  a  picter — an'  good,  too.  Las'  fall,  at  dat  same  bar- 
becue, one  of  dem  Watyoumacallim  Deaderick's  gals  said 
you  was  a  Yanky,  like  her  marster,  an'  I  called  her  a 
liar,  an'  she  snatched  my  hat  off  an'  spilt  all  dem  pritty 
flowers  my  own  young  miss  gin  me.  Well,  she — Marm- 
sell  is  what  everybody  calls  her — took  an'  fixed,  an'  fixed, 
till  dat  hat  looked  real  nice  agin ;  an'  den  she  told  Mars' 


76  A   GENTLE   PURITAN. 

Chjaries  Styode,  an'  he  sont  me  a  bran-new  silver  dollar, 
an'  said  I  mustn't  talk  to  dot  ill-bred  nigger  no  more. 
But,  young  miss/'  said  the  girl,  looking  mischievously 
at  the  young  lady,  ^'  I  niver  has  made  up  my  mind 
whether  Mars'  Chyarles  sont  me  dat  dollar  because  he 
was  sorry  'bout  de  hat,  or  proud  'cause  I  took  up  for 
you. 

Miss  Seymour,  who  had  been  highly  amused  by  Jane's 
gossip,  and  had,  for  the  moment,  forgotten  her  troubles, 
grew  suddenly  serious  as  the  last  remark  was  made,  and 
a  crimson  flush  dyed  her  cheeks  and  brow,  as  she  said  : 

^^  That  will  do,  Jane.  Perhaps  mamma  is  wanting  you; 
and  I  fear  I've  kept  you  too  long." 

"  Yes'm,  I  must  go,  now,"  said  the  girl,  pressing  with 
her  thumb  and  finger  upon  the  corners  of  her  mouth  to 
obliterate  the  irrepressible  footprint  of  a  smile ;  ^'  an'  I's 
mighty  glad  you's  got  over  dat  toothache.  Dat  shows 
dat  when  talk  gives  folkes  de  toothache,  talk  kin  cure  it. 
I  s'pose  it  'pends  on  who  de  talk  is  'bout,  whether  it 
makes  folkes  ailin'  or  cures  'em.     Tee-hee  !" 

This  good-natured  snicker,  fired  from  the  door  as  it 
was  being  closed,  was  Jane's  way  of  emphasizing  the 
intimation,  already  given,  that  she  had  not  been  hum- 
bugged. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

A  Southern  Home. 

"'!ns  sweet  to  hear  the  watch-dog's  honest  hark 
Bay  deep-mouth' d  ivelcome  as  we  draw  near  home" — Bybon.^ 

"  The  first  sure  symptom  of  a  mind  in  health 
Is  rest  of  heart,  and  pleasure  felt  at  home" — Young. 

AS  the  little  party  which  had  gathered  to  welcome  the 
wanderer  wended  its  way  to  the  one  little  hotel  of 
the  village  that  had  slowly  grown  up  around  the  railroad 
station,  all  seemed  to  have  forgotten  the  cause  of  their 
gloom  of  an  hour  before,  till  one  of  the  party  exclaimed  : 

"  Well,  Monsh,  we  are  all  half  dying  to  hear  the  news. 
Tell  us  what  tidings  you  bring  from  the  United  States." 

"  Monsh  "  was  Mr.  Stewart's  nickname.  Fox  and  his 
sister  had  always  addressed  and  spoken  of  him  as  Mon- 
sieur, which  the  young  men  of  the  country  had  abbreviated 
into  that  uneuphonious  monosyllable. 

"The  United  States,"  replied  the  young  man,  as  a 
shade  of  sadness  dispelled  his  smile,  "  have  not  for  fifty 
years,  I  imagine,  been  half  so  truly  what  their  name  was 
intended  to  indicate  as  at  present.  Love  of  country,  love 
of  liberty,  any  love  is  a  power  hi  any  land ;  but  I  have 
ascertained  in  my  trip  North  that  there  is  a  moving  pas- 
sion which  is  to  love  as  the  howling  tornado  is  to  the 
gentle  zephyr.  Our  friends  over  the  border  are  angry, 
very  angry;  as  angry  as  a  caged  animal  should  you 
attempt  to  rob  it  of  the  bone  upon  which  it  is  feeding. 

77 


78  A  SOUTHERN   HOME. 

Ah  !  the  South  is  a  rich,  juicy  bone,  full  of  marrow,  and 
those  who  are  not  angry  because  we  are  slave-holders,  and 
yet  their  superiors  in  civilization  and  Christianity,  are 
angry  because  they  are  about  to  lose  their  bone.  Alas,  for 
us  !  our  virtues  and  our  rich  possessions  wdll  be  the  cause 
of  our  undoing  should  we  ever  be  undone.  We  should 
have  nothing  to  fear  from  the  bowlings  of  our  hereditary 
enemies  were  it  not  for  the  fact  that  the  cry  for  "  the 
preservation  of  the  glorious  Union,"  is  the  growl  with 
which  those  who  were  the  friends  of  honor,  fair-dealing 
and  constitutional  government,  and  were  consequently  our 
friends,  indicate  their  determination  to  hold  on  to  the  bone 
if  they  can.  But  my  news  will  keep;  let  us  talk  of 
pleasant  things.  Flournoy,  what  have  you  to  say  of 
the  ^  Maid  of  the  Mist?'"^ 

"  I  would  say  I  am  mist  of  the  maid,"  laughed  the 
young  man  addressed,  "were  not  puns  condemned  as 
giving  a  taint  of  vulgarity  to  polite  conversation  ;  but  it 
will  interest  you  more  to  know  that  Deaderick  is  selling 
off  his  people  for  the  purpose,  they  say,  of  marrying  the 
^Cynosure,'  and  taking  her  back  North.  Excuse  me, 
old  fellow,  for  breaking  this  news  to  you  so  abruptly,  but 
you  know,  ^  misery  loves  company.'  " 

"Ah  I"  laughed  ^Ir.  Stewart,  slightly  coloring,  "  they 
say,  tells  wonderful  tales  to  willing  ears,  but  you  can't 
have  my  harp  to  hang  by  the  side  of  yours  on  the  willow, 
my  friend." 

"  Can't,  eh  ?  "Well,  we'll  see,"  laughed  the  young  man. 
"  But  here  comes  mine  host  of  the  ^  Rising  Sun ' — a  North- 
ern man  with  Southern  principles — to  welcome  the 
prodigal,  who  has  been  feeding  on  the  husks  of  Hhe 
glorious  Union.' " 

"  Hold  ! "    laughed   Mr.    Stewart,   as   he   greeted   the 


"an  honest  man  with  honest  principles."  79 

proprietor  of  the  hotel.  "  You  do  Mr.  Wilkius  injustice  to 
class  him  with  the  demagogues  of  the  buried  past.  It  is 
the  Northern  men  with  Southern  principles  and  the 
Southern  men  with  Northern  principles,  to  whom,  chiefly, 
we  are  indebted  for  the  present  position  of  affairs.  Mr. 
Wilkins  is  an  honest  man,  with  honest  principles.  Of 
what  leading  national  politician,  of  recent  times,  can  we 
say  as  much,  if  we  except  Calhoun  ? — certainly  not  of 
Jackson,  Webster,  Clay,  Douglas,  or  any  of  that  class  of 
political  traders  and  trimmers,  whose  patriotism  and 
statesmanship  combined  was  but  an  effort  to  secure  the 
greatest  amount  of  personal  popularity  for  the  least  ex- 
penditure of  treachery  to  the  true  interests  of  the  country." 

"Give  us  a  rest,  Stewart!"  exclaimed  Mr.  Howard, 
laughing.  "  We  call  for  bread  and  you  give  us  a  stone — 
for  news,  and  you  give  us  politics.  AYilkins  will  give  us 
some  wine  and  cigars  in  his  best  room,  and  the  oracle  must 
come  to  order  and  speak." 

"  I  can  give  you  half  an  hour,"  replied  Mr.  Stewart, 
"  and  you  shall  all  dine  with  me  to-morrow.  At  present, 
I  am  impatient  to  see  my  people,  and  almost  dying  for  a 
good  long  canter  on  Selim — no  such  horse-flesh  as  that 
where  IVe  been." 

After  the  friends  had  spent  an  hour  or  more  in  pleasant 
conversation,  and  had  agreed  to  meet  on  the  next  day  at 
"  The  Oaks,"  Mr.  Stewart's  handsome  and  hospitable  home, 
for  dinner,  the  party  separated,  and  Mr.  Stewart  and  Fox, 
mounting  their  horses,  two  superb  specimens  of  the  old 
"  Randolph  stock,"  carried  from  Virginia,  and  celebrated  J| 
for  speed  and  bottom  in  the  chase,  left  the  village,  in  that 
easy,  graceful  canter,  peculiar  to  Southern  riders,  and 
indicative  of  thorough  training  on  the  part  of  both  horse 
and  rider. 


80  A  SOUTHEEN  HOME. 

As  a  rule,  the  young  men  of  the  South  are  remarkably- 
fine  riders.  Naturally  daring  and  venturesome,  and 
delighting  in  manly  sports  and  exercises,  and  being, 
withal,  perhaps  a  little  reckless  of  danger,  and  passion- 
ately fond  of  the  chase,  their  importunities  often  procure  for 
them  the  privilege  of  joining  in  the  wild  excitement  and 
reckless  riding  of  the  fox  hunt,  at  an  age  which,  their 
indulgent  mammas  are  aware,  should  still  keep  them 
under  the  gentle  tutelage  of  the  nursery  governess.  Hence, 
it  is  a  common  expression  with  them,  that  they  were 
"  raised  on  horseback  f  and  no  gentleman,  with  sons, 
ever  has  an  opportunity  to  employ  a  professional  to  "  break  " 
his  colts,  for  generally  before  ])ater  familias  has  thought 
of  having  some  high-blooded  young  animal  taken  in  hand, 
he  will  see,  some  fine  morning,  while  the  early  frost 
sparkles  upon  the  still  green  grass,  the  hope  of  the  family 
ride  him  in  from  the  chase,  with  smoking  sides  and  a  fox's 
brush  tied  to  the  saddle. 

Aft^r  cantering  briskly  for  several  miles  along  a  straight 
and  moderately  level  road,  and  talking  of  business  matters 
pertaining  to  the  plantation,  Mr.  Stewart  changed  the  sub- 
ject abruptly  by  inquiring : 

"Fox,  what  is  Deaderick's  object  in  getting  rid  of  his 
people  ?*^' 

"  It  is  said  that  he  is  to  marry  Miss  Seymour,  and  that 
Dr.  Hansel  objects  to  her  marrying  a  slave-holder,"  replied 
Fox,  closely  observing  the  effect  of  his  words. 

"Nonsense,"  exclaimed  the  young  man,  impatiently,  "I 
f  ^chance  to  know  Miss  Seymour,  and  I  know  she  would 
feel  extreme  contempt  for  the  man  of  easy  virtue  who 
would  propose  to  atone  for  his  share  in  Hhe  sin  of  slavery' 
by  selling  his  slaves  to  other  persons.  As  a  question  of 
living  up  to  moral  obligations,  which  is  the  more  to  be 


"  MODERN    AMMONITES.  "  81 

commended,  the  man  who  keeps  his  slaves  and  takes  care 
of  them  himself,  or  he  who  sells  them  to  strangers,  and 
raises  a  hue  and  cry  for  abolition  ?  ^^ 

"Undoubtedly  the  former,  but  it  is  a  peculiar  charac- 
teristic of  some  minds  that  they  will  ^  strain  at  a  gnat  and 
swallow  a  camel/  For  instance,  when  I  went  to  New 
England  five  years  ago  to  buy  some  fine  sheep  for  mon- 
sieur, your  father,  I  learned  that  the  first  abolition  society 
ever  organized  there  had  for  its  president  a  retired  skipper, 
who  had  made  his  fortune  kidnapping  negroes  in  Africa 
and  selling  them  in  America,  and  the  first  negro  insurrec- 
tion in  Virginia  was  instigated  and  brought  about  by  that 
society.* 

"  Yes,  these  modern  Ammonites,  when  they  go  down 
into  the  valley  of  Tophet,  true  to  their  ancient  instincts, 
seek  beyond  the  confines  of  their  o^ti  land  for^Bubjects  of 
sacrifice  to  appease  the  wrath  of  Moloch.  This  proves 
them  profoundly  wise,  for  if  Moloch  should  not  be 
appeased  there  will  be  no  harm  done — to  themselves. 
But  tell  me  of  Deaderick ;  is  he  with  us  in  these 
troubles  ?  " 

"  It  is  my  opinion  that  he  is  not,  and  that  in  selling  his 
slaves  he  is  ^preparing  for  the  wrath  to  come,'  as  Mr. 
Howard  expresses  it.'' 

"He  thinks  we  will  fail  in  this  war,  and  as  he  cares 
nothing  for  his  negroes,  except  as  regards  the  dollars 
which  they  represent,  he  deem»  it  prudent  to  change  the 
investment.     Is  that  it  ?  " 

"I  presume  so.  He  was  not  born  a  slave-holder,  and 
is  not  influenced  by  the  memories  of  childhood  and  ear 

*  This  is  literally  true  according  to  veracious  New  England  tradi- 
tion, vrhich.,  so  far  as  the  writer  knows,  has  never  been  contra- 
dicted. 


82  A    SOUTHEEN   HOME. 

boyhood,  and  knows  nothing  of  those  affectionate  ties 
which,  as  a  rule,  exist  between  master  and  slave." 

^^Ah,  here  we  are!"  exclaimed  Mr.  Stewart,  as  he 
reined  up  in  front  of  a  large  gate,  which  gave  entrance 
into  a  broad  and  straight  road  leading  through  highly- 
cultivated  fields  to  a  handsome  mansion  half  a  mile  away. 
"  How  delightful  is  the  feeling,  when  one  returns  home 
after  long  absence,  that  everything  around,  animate'  and 
inanimate,  is  smiling  him  a  welcome  V 

As  the  two  horsemen  walked  their  horses  leisurely  up 
the  level  road,  the  scene  before  them  was  such  as  could  not 
fail  to  elicit  the  lively  admiration  of  any  beholder.  The 
old  mansion,  built  many  years  before,  rather  with  a  view 
to  comfort  and  the  requirements  of  hospitality  than  with 
an  eye  to  the  niceties  of  architectural  display,  looked  cosy 
and  comfortable  in  its  surrounding  grove,  or  park,  of 
twenty  acres,  more  or  less,  of  majestic  oaks,  walnut  and 
hickory  trees,  standing  far  apart,  and  dotting  with  broad 
shades  the  smooth  carpet  of  green  turf.  In  the  fore- 
ground of  the  lawn,  two  high-headed  colts  were  scamper- 
ing to  and  fro,  ever  and  anon  pausing  to  arch  their  beau- 
tiful necks,  give  a  loud  snort,  and  then  scamper  off  again, 
rearing,  pawing  and  plunging  in  mere  wantonness  of 
exuberant  life  and  spirits,  while  several  sleek  and  meek 
looking  deer  quietly  cropped  the  velvety  sward,  occasion- 
ally raising  their  graceful  heads  to  gaze  wonderingly  at 
the  reckless  equine  roisters,  or  to  point  their  delicate  noses 
to  windward  in  enquiring  sniffs  of  the  passing  breeze. 
Upon  the  high  arch  of  the  gateway  which  gave  entrance 
to  the  front  lawn,  a  patriarchal  peacock,  with  his  Argus- 
eyed  plumage  demurely  drooping,  perched  in  solemn 
meditation,  patiently  awaiting  some  sufficient  provocation 
to  startle  the  slumbering  echoes  of  the  old  house  with  his 


"the  slaves^  home.''  83 

discordant  scream,  while  upon  the  broad,  many-columned 
piazza  of  the  gableted  building,  a  female  figure  in  plain, 
neat  white,  waved  a  handkerchief  in  welcome  to  the 
approaching  horsemen.  In  the  background,  beyond  the 
mansion,  where  lay  by  far  the  larger  part  of  the  grove,  a 
broad  avenue,  or  parallelogram,  between  two  rows  of 
neatly  whitewashed  cabins — ^yclept  "  nigger-huts  "  in  the 
New  England  vernacular — was  alive  with  a  little  troop  of 
masculine  imps  of  various  ages,  and  dressed,  for  the 
greater  part,  in  a  single  garment  of  white  cotton,  made 
somewhat  in  the  style  of  an  abbreviated  Roman  toga-mn- 
lis ;  climbing  trees,  see-sawing,  playing  "  fox  and  hounds," 
or  tumbling,  in  disobedience  of  the  duenna's  orders,  in  the 
dust ;  while  across  the  fields,  half  a  mile  beyond,  a  dozen 
or  more  stalwart  ploughmen,  having  just  heard  the  wel- 
come sound  of  the  noonday  bell,  mount  their  frisky, 
braying,  harness-encumbered  mules,  as  twenty  or  more 
"  hoe  hands,''  women  and  youths,  lead  by  the  patriarch  of 
the  plantation,  scamper  across  the  cotton  beds,  with  the 
glad  cry  :  "  Yonder  comes  Mars'  Chyarles ! " 

Without  stopping  at  the  front  gate,  ^Ir.  Stewart,  having 
waved  a  pleasant  greeting  to  the  comely  figure  upon  the 
piazza,  rode  around  to  the  "  quarters "  so  as  to  receive 
and  return  the  greetings  of  the  humblest  of  his  depend- 
ents first.  After  the  ceremony  had  been  gone  through, 
with  much  hand-shaking  and  many  extravagant  demon- 
strations on  the  part  of  some  of  the  younger  negroes, — 
and  as  the  young  man  stood  on  the  little  porch  of  the  last 
cabin  on  his  way  to  the  house,  with  old  "  Mammy,"  as  he 
called  his  black  foster-mother,  still  clinging  to  him,  he 
said  to  one  of  the  young  men  following  him : 

"  WqW,  Dick,  I  see  that  you  and  Uncle  George  have 
taken  good  care  of  Mammy  since  I've  been  away,  and 

6 


84  A  SOUTHERN  HOME. 

T\e  no  cause  to  scold  you,  but  I  miss  the  usual  heartiness 
of  your  broad  grin.  Has  ami:hing  gone  wrong ;  hasn't 
Fox  given  you  all  the  usual  fish-fry?" 

"Xo,  sir/'  replied  the  negro,  "dat's  'pinted  for  nex' 
Sadd'y.  But  dat  ain't  it.  I  feels  sorry  for  Henry.  Mr. 
Deaderick  is  sellin'  off  his  fokes,  an  we's  feard  he'd  sell 
Henry's  wife  out  o'  de  neighborhood,  sir,  'fore  you  got 
back." 

"Why  didn't  Fox  go  over  and  see  about  it?" 

"  AYe  did  ax  him — mammy  an'  we  all — ^but  he  said 
him  an'  Mr.  Deaderick  didn't  gee  bosses  together,  an'  he 
would  wait  for  you." 

"  Ah  !  I  remember.  Fox  was  right.  But  now  that  I 
am  returned  we  will  see  about  it.  How  is  Henry's  leg 
getting  on  ?  " 

"  He's  still  stayin'  in  de  hospital  at  Mr.  Deaderick's,  an' 
Mr.  Deaderick  is  right  good  in  lettin'  his  wife  tend  to  him. 
Fox  sends  over  his  rashens  every  week,  an'  de  doctor  is 
dar  mos'  every  day.  Mr.  Deaderick  says  dat  leg  is  done 
cost  you  more'n  de  whole  nigger  is  "^xoif." 

"Poor  fellow  !"  said  Mr.  Stewart,  smiling  at  this  prac- 
tical view  of  the  matter.  "  If  he  does  not  improve  under 
the  doctor's  surgery  I  shall  take  him  to  Pliiladelphia 
this  fall, — that  is,  provided  I  can  get  there,  and  provided 
also  the  Abolitionists  do  not  take  you  all  away  from  me." 

"What  is  dey  got  to  do  wid  we  all.  Mars'  Chyarles?" 
asked  the  negro,  with  evident  curiosity. 

^  They  want  to  set  you  free,  you  know." 

"  Wants  to  make  a  free  nigger  out'n  Dick  Anderson 
Sty  ode !  Yah  !  yah  !  yah  !  *   I  speck  Dick'U  be  dar  when 


*  It  is  a  singular  fact  that  the  slaves  always  had  a  great  contempt 
for  a  "  free-nigger ; "  and  the  word  with  them  was  a  synonym  for  all 
that  was  ridiculous  and  contemptible  in  a  human  being's  character. 


p 

3 


c 
3 


"important  news."  85 

dey  goes  to  make  de  'rangements.  Dat  'minds  me  dar  is 
one  o'  them  fokes  pirootin'  roun'  de  coimtry  now,  but  I 
notice  he  ain't  buyin'  none  o'  Mr.  Deaderick's  niggers  an 
freein'  'em  in  a  hurry." 

"Who  is  ^pirootin'  through  the  coimtry,  Dick?" 
asked  the  young  master,  with  awakened  interest. 

"  Why,  sir,  it's  one  o'  dem  Aberlishoners  who ." 

"  Hokl  your  jaw,  Dick  !"  exclaimed  the  old  woman  shak- 
ing her  red  turban  at  her  irrepressible  offspring,  "  dat  fly- 
trap o'  your'n  is  always  a  gabblin'  more'n  dat  cymlin  head 
o'  your'n  knows,  an  bymeby  you'll  be  called  a  lyin'  nigger. 
It's  dis  way,  young  marster  :  Dick  has  bin  pirootin  aroun' 
a  heap  hisself,  an'  he  heeard — now  mind,  he  heeard — dat 
one  o'  dem  Aberlitioners  is  perusin'  throo  de  country 
tryin'  to  'suade  niggers  to  fite  agin  our  own  white  fokes. 
Why  can't  you  talk  straight  like  dat,  nigger  ? "  added  the 
ole  woman,  with  a  reproachful  glance  at  her  son,  "  an'  not 
resk  de  good  'pinion  de  young  marster  has  got  o'  you  ?  " 

"Dat's  de  way  I  was  gwine  to  talk,"  replied  Dick, 
slightly  abashed,  "  but  I  speck  you  likes  to  tell  de  news 
yourself,  mammy.     Yah  !  yah  !  yah  ! " 

Mammy  and  her  husband.  Uncle  George,  were  the 
patriarchs  of  the  plantation.  Thirty  years  before  the 
period  of  which  we  speak,  they  had  been  married  in  Col. 
Stewart's  back  parlor,  in  Virginia,  and  had  partaken  of 
the  wedding  supper  in  the  large  basement-dining-room. 
Four  years  later  Mammy  was  given  charge,  as  nurse,  of 
the  infant  Stewart,  who  now  has  become  her  OT\Tier,  and 
who,  during  the  days  of  childhood  knew  no  difference 
between  "  black  mammy  "  and  his  own  mother,  except  that 
the  former  humored  every  whim,  whether  reasonable  or 
otherwise,  while  the  latter  was  occasionally  not  forgetful 
of  Solomon's  wise  injunction,  or  suggestion,  respecting 


S6  A  SOUTHERN   HOME. 

the  training  of  youth.  The  two  had  been  the  first  of  the 
slaves  to  volunteer  to  emigrate  with  the  young  master  to 
the  far-off  land  of  Alabama ;  and  in  making  themselves 
known  to  the  stranger  slaves  in  the  new  land,  they  never 
failed  to  assure  them  that  "  ole  marster  was  a  gran'  gen- 
tleman, an'  ole  miss  de  grandest  lady  dat  ever  walked. 
But  for  all  dat,"  mammy  would  add,  with  a  chuckle, 
when  in  a  communicative  mood,  "  ole  miss  can't  say  dat 
she  never  did  cross  a  nigger's  back  wid  a  stripe."  And 
then  she  would  tell,  with  great  glee,  how  "  once  when 
young  marster  was  seben  years  old  dat  blessed  'leventh 
day  of  December,  der  come  a  early  freeze  'bout  half  a 
'ninch  thick ;  an  ole  miss  tole  him  not  to  go  a  nigh  de 
fish  pon ' ;  an'  I  stole  his  skeeters  out,  an'  he  run  down  to 
have  a  skeet,  an'  presently  one  o'  de  men  fokes  fetched 
'im  back  in  his  arms,  drippin  wid  w^ater,  an'  a  laffin'  an 
kickin'.  Ole  miss  was  in  de  hall  talkin'  to  me  bout  fixin 
for  Christmus,  an'  she  was  dat  skeered  she  clean  lost  her 
head,  an'  snatched  ole  marster's  ridin'  whip  ofi:'n  de  hat- 
rack  an  giv  him  one  good  lick  befo'  I  could  fling  my  arms 
roun'  'im ;  an'  when  I  did  she  kept  on  an  giv  us  bofe  two 
more  good  keen  licks,  an'  den  all  at  once  she  busted  out 
cryin'  an  laffin'  an'  said  she  was  glad  of  it,  an'  it  served 
me  right  for  spilin'  dat  bad  boy.  But  for  all  dat,"  the 
old  w Oman  would  add,  with  an  impressive  nod  of  her  red 
turban,  "  when  Christmus  come  'round,  I  got  a  red  silk 
handkercher  an'  a  big  thick  shawi — all  wool — 'sides  what 
de  balance  o'  de  house  gang  got,  an'  I  knowed  what  dem 
was  for." 

Henry  and  Dick  w^ere  mammy's  only  children.  The 
former  had  married  the  belle  of  the  Deaderick  plantation, 
and  on  the  succeeding  Christmas  had  been  shot  in  a 
drunken  broil  on  that  place,  the  lax  management  of  which, 


"A  SINGULARLY  GIVEN  PRESENT."  87 

caring  only  for  a  full  amount  of  work,  had  made  it  one  of 
the  most  disorderly  in  the  country,  and  caused  the  negroes 
to  become  morose  and  discontented.  Henry's  wound  had 
bruised  without  breaking  a  bone,  and  hence  the  difficulty 
of  eifecting  a  cure.  Dick  wore  the  "  coat  of  many  colors  " 
in  mammy's  family,  and  was,  with  his  mouth  stretched, 
as  mammy  used  to  say,  "  like  a  crapper's  lease,  from  year 
to  year '' — as  rolicking  a  yoimg  buck  as  could  be  found  in 
the  country  around. 

Marienne  was  much  amused  at  Mr.  Stewart's  account 
of  the  eccentric  lady  who  desired  to  send  her  the  diamond 
ring ;  but  when  Fox  thought,  for  the  first  time,  of  the 
little  bundle  from  her  hands,  which  he  had  thoughtlessly 
dropped  into  his  pocket,  and  produced  it,  and  all  had 
examined  its  contents,  they  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  poor  lady  was  slightly  "  off"  in  her  mental  faculties. 
They  found  a  porte-monnaie,  around  which  was  wrapped  a 
lace  handkerchief  of  most  costly  fabric,  with  the  letters  B. 
C.  D.  E.  embroidered  in  the  small  centre-piece,  which  only 
was  of  closely-woven  texture.  In  the  purse  was  some- 
thing over  one  hundred  dollars  in  notes,  chiefly  on  Northern 
banks ;  and  the  identical  diamond  of  which  Mr.  Stewart 
had  refused  to  be  the  bearer,  and  which  now  gleamed  like 
an  evil  eye,  under  a  professional  card,  also  in  the  purse, 
which  read  as  follows  : 

" M.  D. 

"  No corner and streets,  Up  Stairs.      ], 

"  Will  not  attend  ladies  at  hotel  or  residence  during  office  hours." 

"  The  streets  mentioned,"  said  ISIr.  Stewart,  regarding 
the  card  attentively,  "  are  in  Philadelphia,  but  may  it  not 
be  that  the  lady  is  a  wealthy  friend  of  your  father's,  who 
lives  in  New  Orleans,  and  has  been  to  Philadelphia  to 
consult  some  specialist  ?  " 


88  '  A  SOUTHERN   HOME. 

"  Impossible^  Monsieur/^  replied  Marienne,  sadly.  "My 
father^s  acquaintances  were  all  French,  and  he  had  no 
friends/^ 

"  Have  you  an  idea  of  the  value  of  that  gem  ?  "  asked 
Mr.  Stewart,  replacing  it  in  Marienne's  hand. 

"  No,  I  have  not ;  but  I  know  it  must  be  immensely  valu- 
able; one  does  not  see  diamonds  as  large  as  philiberts  often." 

"  Monsieur,"  interrupted  Fox,  "  excuse  me,  but  I  have 
an  engagement  for  this  evening,  and  in  order  to  fill  it  I 
have  to  ride  eighteen  miles.  I  shall  return  to  breakfast 
in  the  morning,  and  wish  to  ride  Selim." 

"  All  right.     What's  up  ?  " 

"  I'm  employed  in  the  secret  service,  and  have  to  keep 
the  secrets,"  laughed  Fox,  as  he  went  to  prepare  for  his 
trip  to  meet  his  acquaintance  of  the  morning. 

Mr.  Stewart,  at  Marienne's  request,  immediately 
addressed  a  letter  to  the  medical  gentleman,  whose  name 
was  on  the  card,  giving  a  full  description  of  the  lady  who 
was  so  generous  with  her  valuables,  and  also  giving  the 
initials  found  on  the  handkerchief,  and  requesting  to  be 
furnished  with  the  name  and  address  of  the  lady,  if  recog- 
nized from  the  description. 

A  few  days  later  he  received  a  reply,  stating  that  a 
former  patient  from  Boston,  Miss  Deborah  Elkins,  corres- 
ponded somewhat  with  the  description,  and  was  both 
wealthy  and  charitably  inclined.  Marienne,  as  the  lady 
had  two  of  the  initials  found  on  the  handkerchief,  imme- 
diately addressed  her  a  letter,  the  contents  of  which,  in 
part,  may  be  guessed  at  from  the  tenor  of  the  reply,  as 

follows : 

"  Miss  Marienne  lyElfons  (colored), 

"  Care  of  C.  A.  Stewart  (slaveholder). 

"  Yours  of inst.  is  just  to  hand  and  contents  noted.    Would 

say,  in  reply,  I  have  traveled  in  that  benighted  land  often ;  but  it  is 


"luck,  or  a  special  providence ? ^^         89 

a  matter  of  no  practical  importance  if  I  am  or  am  not  the  individual 
who  '  practiced  a  charitable  intended  fraud '  on  your  brother.  The 
property  is  yours,  and  if  you  had  known  that  high  order  of  Christian- 
ity, which  we  possess  here,  you  would  be  able  to  recognize  the  hand 
of  God  in  the  matter.  In  His  wisdom  He  has  intervened  to  rescue 
you,  by  a  special  providence,  from  the  accursed  shackles  of  slavery,  and 
perhaps  from  other  unwilling  degradation.  Use  the  means  He  has 
given  as  He  intended  ;  purchase  your  freedom  from  the  vile  creature 
who  traffics  in  God's  precious  souls,  and  then  come  directly  to  me  for 
additional  advice. 

"Yours,  respectfully, 

"Deborah  Elkins, 

"/Sec.  Emanuel  A.  S." 

"  P.  S.  Nothing  herein  is  intended  to  wound  you.  Of  course,  we 
could  not  expect  the  slave  to  be  greatly  superior  to  the  surrounding 
civilization.  D.  E." 

"  All !  Monsieur,"  said  Marienne,  handing  the  letter  to 
Mr.  Stewart,  as  he  came  in  from  a  ride  over  the  fields, 
*^  I  have  found  the  eccentric  lady." 

Mr.  Stewart  read  the  letter  carefully,  and  then  asked, 
with  an  amused  smile  : 

"  Why  do  you  think  this  woman  to  be  the  person  we 
are  in  search  of?  " 

"  Oh,"  said  Marienne,  laughing,  "  I  am  sure  there 
couldn't  be  two  such  crazy  people  loose  at  the  same  time 
in  this  civilized  land." 

"  There  are  thousands  such  as  this  one  loose  all  the  time 
in  New  England.  Indeed,  all  the  free-love  ^ grass' 
widows,  and  all  the  old  maids,  male  and  female,  are  of 
that  kind.  But  do  you  see  nothing  in  this  letter  inconsistent 
with  what  I  have  told  you  of  my  eccentric  acquaintance  ?  " 

"  The  writer  of  this  would  not  be  considered  a  person 
of  refinement,  if  judged  by  the  standard  here,"  replied 
Marienne,  as  her  eyes  fell  to  the  floor. 

"  No ;    and  my  acquaintance,  whether  crazy  or  other- 


90  A   SOUTHERN   HOME. 

wise,  is  a  lady,  and  as  different  from  the  person  who 
wrote  this  letter  as  the  gem  you  have  is  from  the  gaudy 
glass  jewels  that  some  of  the  negro  girls  wore  to  the  fish- 
fry,  last  week.  But  this  ends  the  matter.  You  can  do 
no  more ;  and  my  advice  to  you  is,  practically,  the  same 
as  that  woman's — consider  the  property  your  own,  and 
credit  good-luck  by  part  payment  on  account  current." 

"How  about  using  it  to  purchase  my  freedom,  as 
advised?''  inquired  Marienne,  laughing. 

"  Oh,  I  forgot !  but  it  is  a  wonder  she  had  not  used  the 
expression,  ^  to  strike  the  shackles  from  your  limbs.'  But 
here  goes,"  laughed  the  young  man,  using  his  riding 
whip  as  a  magician's  wand,  "  ^  Presto  !  Kabal-gavaelu  ! 
Be  gone ! '  See !  it  is  done.  The  shackles  fall  away, 
resolved  into  their  original  elements  of  oxygen  and  iron, 
and  the  diamond  is  mine." 

"Not  so  fast,  Monsieur;"  said  Marienne,  with  an 
amused  laugh,  "  it  takes  two  to  make  a  bargain,  I  have 
heard ;  and  I  did  not  realize  how  very  beautiful  the  gem  is 
until  now  that  I  feel  it  to  be  my  very  own.  Unsay  your 
mystic  words — your  Kabel-gavaelu — for  I  shall  resume 
the  shackles ;  the  oxygen  must  depart  and  the  iron  must 
reintegrate  itself.  I  have  no^idea  of  letting  even  you  get 
the  best  of  me  in  a  trade." 

Although  Marienne  fully  believed  that  Mr.  Stewart's 
justly  generous  allowance  of  funds  was  ample  to  procure, 
and  did  procure,  for  her  all  that  she  desired,  in  the  way 
of  wearing  apparel ;  yet,  but  few  days  elapsed  after  the 
above  interview,  before  she  made  it  couA^enient  to  go  to 
Huntsville  by  rail,  and  invest  most  of  the  cash  part  of 
her  singular  present,  in  those  elegant  nothings,  in  the  way 
of  costly  laces,  that  are  so  delighting  to  a  woman  of  refined 
fancy. 


CHAPTER  YI. 

Seeking  Love  and  Finding  only  Politics. 

"  Thou  art  free 
To  leave  the  post  which  weary  years 
Save  seen  thee  guarding  faithfully." 

— Eev.  Edward  S.  Gregory. 

"  J^  Tm  a  traitor,  think ,  and  blush,  thou  tyrant. 
Whose  wrongs  betrayed  me  into  treason." — Dryden  . 

THE  great  bell  at  the  Atheneum  had  called  the  bright 
groups  of  laughing  maidens  from  every  part  of  the  ex- 
tensive and  well-shaded  grounds  surrounding  that  popular 
institution  to  resume  their  studies  after  the  first  short  recess 
of  the  morning  ;  and  Jane,  having  finished  her  early 
tasks,  was  idly  hanging  out  of  one  of  the  front  windows, 
listlessly  watching  the  seemingly  busy  throngs  of  men 
which  passed  and  repassed  the  streets  skirting  the  four  sides 
of  the  public  square,  nearly  half  a  mile  away,  in  the 
centre  of  which  stood  the  handsome  and  substantial  Court 
House  of  the  county,  surrounded  by  ornamental  trees 
set  in  a  green  sward.  The  distance  was  so  great  that 
she  could  not  make  out  what  was  going  on  to  attract  so 
large  a  crowd  from  the  country  around  into  the  usually 
quiet  little  village.  Presently,  however,  the  sound  of  a 
fife  and  drum  caused  her  to  surmise  that  another  military 
company  was  being  formed  in  addition  to  the  one  which 
had  already  been  organized  in  that  vicinity,  and  which 
subsequently  constituted  a  part,  and  helped  to  achieve  the 
glory  of  the  Fourth  Alabama  Regiment. 

91 


92       SEEKING  LOVE  AND  FINDING  ONLY    POLITICS. 

She  watched  the  bustling,  restless  crowd,  until  the  five 
minutes,  which  she  had  intended  to  sacrifice  to  idleness, 
grew  into  an  hour  or  more,  when  she  suddenly  withdrew 
from  the  window  with  the  exclamation : 

"  Bless  goodness  if  dar  ain't  Mars'  Chyarles  Stjode ; 
an'  he's  a  comin'  in  at  de  gate,  too  ! " 

"  Jane  ! "  called  Dr.  Hansel  from  the  hall,  where  he  had 
been  promenading,  and  also  observing  what  was  going  on 
up  tawn  ;  "  Come  here,  quickly." 

"  I  wonder  what  dat  ole  watsisname  got  for  me  to  do 
now  ! "  grumbled  Jane,  as  she  reluctantly  obeyed  the  order, 

"  Go  up  town  and  tell  Mr.  Mason  to- "  began  the  old 

gentleman,  but  Jane  interrupted  with  : 

"  Young  miss  gives  me  my  orders,  sir,  an'  she  ain't  told 
me  to  go  up " 

"  Silence  !  "  exclaimed  the  old  gentleman,  angrily,  and 
firmly ;   "  Tell  Mr.  Mason  to  send  me  a " 

"  I  was  hired,"  again  interrupted  Jane,  beginning  to 
count  on  her  fingers,  "  to  tend  de  do' ;  fix  up  de  parlors  ; 
wait  on " 

"  Blood  and  fury  ! "  almost  shouted  the  old  gentleman, 
with  a  threatening  movement  in  the  direction  of  a  chair, 
which  stood  near  by ;  "  Leave  my  presence,  this  instant,  and 
tell  Mr.  Mason  to  send  me  a  box  of  paper  collars  No. 
thirteen." 

Jane  started  immediately,  in  obedience  to  the  command, 
but  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  fire  off  her  usual 
"  tee-hee,"  this  time  in  derision.  She  feared  that  she  made  it 
little  too  pointed,  however,  when  the  old  gentleman  com- 
manded "  Stop  there,"  but  felt  relieved  as  he  added, 
"  I  see  Mr.  Stewart  coming — nice  gentleman — particular 
friend.  Don't  stop,  but  tell  him  to  walk  up  to  the  west 
parlor.     Do  you  hear  ?  the  west  parlor ;  he  knows  the 


"news  from  the  east."  93 

way ;  and  you  go  right  on  :  needn^t  mind  about  getting 
back  before  time  for  dinner." 

Before  Mr.  Stewart  had  time  to  ring,  Jane  met  him  with 
her  usual  warm  greeting. 

"Ah !  Jane,  my  good  girl,"  said  Mr.  Stewart,  shaking 
hands  with  her  ;  "  still  guarding  the  portals  of  knowledge, 
I  see  !     Are  the  family  all  well  and  at  home  to-day  ?  " 

"Oh,  yes,  sir,"  replied  the  girl,  courtesying  modestly  ; 
"  dey's  all  pritty  pyeart  ^cept  ole  marster.  I^s  feard  he^s 
mighty  ailin\  But  he  says  for  you  to  walk  up  in  de  wes' 
parlor." 

Dr.  Hansel  received  his  guest  with  stately,  yet,  to  all 
appearances,  cordial  politeness ;  but  when  the  latter 
stated  that  his  call  was  intended,  in  part,  for  the  ladies, 
the  old  gentleman  ignored  the  remark,  and  enquired  : 

"  What  news  do  you  bring  us  from  the  North  and  East, 
Mr.  Stewart?" 

"  Only  that  with  which  the  papers  are  filled,  sir," 
replied  the  young  man,  glancing  out  through  the  window. 
"  Everything  seems  to  be  in  hubbub  and  confusion.  Our 
brothers  of  the  East,  I  fear,  are  very  angry  and  very 
eager  for  war,  particularly  in  Massachusetts.  I  have 
seen  nothing  to  allay  the  fear  that  we  are  on  the  eve  of  a 
bloody  struggle." 

"  Yes,  it  seems  that  we  are  ;  but  it  looks  as  if  the  fact 
were  not  fully  realized  by  the  masses  as  yet." 

"It  is  not  in  New  England,  I'm  sure.  It  is  quite 
amusing — or  rather  it  would  loe  if  it  were  not  a  most 
solemn  matter — to  hear  some  of  the  leading  men  and 
papers  of  that  section  speak  so  flippantly  of  "crushing  the 
rebellion,"  and  having  a  "  hanging  bee,"  as  they  term  it,  on 
the  Fourth  of  July.  They  think  one  lively,  little  battle, 
wiU  put  QUI-  troops  to  flight,  and  that  they  will  then  have 


94        SEEKING   LOVE   AND   FINDING  ONLY    POLITICS. 

nothing  to  do  but  to  pursue  and  hang.  The  estimate  that 
not  more  than  seventy-five  thousand  troops  and  less  than 
one  hundred  millions  of  money  will  be  required  for  the 
work  of  subjugating  the  South,  has  misled  the  masses, 
both  North  and  South  ;  the  former  as  to  the  great  magni- 
tude of  the  undertaking,  and  the  latter  as  to  the  probable 
force  and  means  that  are  to  be  resisted." 

"  What  force  and  means  do  you  think  will  be  necessary 
for  the  subjugation  of  the  South  ?  " 

"  You  speak  as  if  our  subjugation  were  a  foregone  con- 
clusion, sir,''  laughed  the  young  man,  "  and  I  admit  that 
it  is  not  an  impossibility.  The  United  States  government 
has  the  ships  to  blockade  our  coast  lines,  and  the  money 
to  hire  men  from  every  portion  of  the  globe.  It  would 
be  folly  to  deny  the  ability  of  her  means  and  materials 
to  overpower  us  ultimately ;  but  before  it  is  done,  if  ever, 
she  will  have  to  put  into  the  field  millions  of  troops,  and 
expend  thousands  of  millions  of  money." 

"Oh,  I  guess  the  present  estimates  are  not  so  far 
wrong,"  said  the  old  man,  with  an  incredulous  smile. 
"  Why,  according  to  your  calculations,  it  w^ould  be  far 
cheaper  to  buy  the  negroes." 

"  It  would,  indeed,  sir ;  but  the  old  abolitionists,  who 
are  now  really  the  controlling  spirits  in  the  government, 
had  rather  spend  those  countless  millions  for  war  on  us, 
which,  of  course,  they  will  wage  by  proxy  so  far  as  the 
actual  fighting  is  concerned,  than  to  pay  a  tithe  of  them 
for  the  peaceful  abolition  of  slavery." 

"  You  are  severe  on  the  abolition  party,  sir,"  said  the 
old  man,  as  a  slight  flush  stole  into  his  face.  "  May  I 
ask  you  to  state  the  premises  on  which  you  found  so  dam- 
aging an  assertion?" 

"  I  judge  them,  as  we  usually  judge  other  people,  by 


"a  lawless  party."  95 

their  words  and  acts.  In  the  first  place,  in  or  under  the 
old  United  States  government,  the  word  ^abolition/  as 
applied  to  a  political  party,  meant  the  same  as  '  lawless.' 
The  'Abolition  Party'  meant,  really,  the  'Lawless 
Party.' " 

*'  How  will  you  make  that  appear,  sir?" 

"  It  should  be  self-evident,  doctor,  to  one  who  under- 
stands the  theory  and  history  of  the  old  government.  Our 
colonies,  which  were  first  leagued  together  under  Articles 
of  Confederation,  when  they  deemed  it  desirable  to  form 
a  more  perfect  Union,  appointed  a  convention  to  form  the 
compact  or  agreement  known  as  the  Constitution.  This 
Constitution,  as  you  well  know,  was  a  compromise  between 
greatly  conflicting  sentiments  and  interests.  One  by  one 
the  states,  which  were  beyond  a  doubt  then  sovereign, 
seceded  from  the  old  Confederation  and  joined  the  new 
Union,  by  voting  to  adopt  the  new  Constitution ;  some 
of  them,  notably  New  York,  Virginia  and  New  Jersey, 
intimating  or  directly  declaring  their  right  to  secede  again, 
if  such  action  should  ever  seem  to  be  demanded  by  the 
best  interests  of  their  people.  Massachusetts  has  threat- 
ened more  than  once  to  secede,  you  know,  and  several 
other  New  England  ^  states  pretended  to  think  seriously 
of  it ;  but,  as  there  was  no  objection  raised,  they  took 
counsel  of  thrift,  and  did  not  break  the  heart  of  the 
Union.  The  Constitution  adopted  delegated  no  authority 
to  the  general  government  to  meddle  with  the  internal 
affairs  of  the  states  in  any  manner  or  for  any  purpose. 
It  follows,  then,  that  the  abolitionists  at  the  North  who 
clamored  for  the  abolition  of  slavery  in  the  South,  and 
flooded  Congress  with  petitions  looking  to  that  end,  pro- 
posed to  act  without  the  sanction  of  law,  and  were  there- 
fore a  lawless  party." 


96      SEEKING   LOVE   AND   FINDING   ONLY   POLITICS. 

"  I  think  the  original  intention  of  the  Abolition  party 
was  only  to  educate  the  public  mind  up  to  the  point  of 
accomplishing  abolition  by  the  voluntary  acts  of  the 
states/' 

"  Then  they  should  have  directed  their  eiforts  toward 
those  only  who  could  act,  according  to  law,  in  the  matter, 
instead  of  teaching  their  own  people  to  hate  and  abuse 
us,  and  to  declare  the  Constitution  a  vile  instrument ;  and 
they  should  not  have  sent  emissaries  into  the  South 
for  the  puq3ose  of  inflaming  the  minds  of  the  negroes, 
and  inciting  them  to  riot  and  bloodshed." 

"But  you  said,  a  moment  since,  that  these  terrible 
abolitionists  would  prefer  to  pay  blood-money  rather  than 
pay  a  trifle  for  peaceful  abolition." 

"  They  themselves  have  said  so.  One  of  their  literary 
men,  a  ^  writer  of  books,^  says,  in  reply  to  a  suggestion 
for  the  Government  to  pay  for  the  South's  property  in 
slaves : 

"  ^  The  suggestion  is  criminal !  the  demand  unjust, 
wicked,  monstrous,  damnable !  Shall  we  pet  the  blood- 
hounds for  the  purpose  of  doing  them  a  favor  ?  Shall 
we  feed  the  curs  of  slavery  to  make  them  fat  at  our 
expense  ?  Pay  these  whelps  for  the  piu'pose  of  convert- 
ing them  into  decent,  honest  men  !  It  is  our  honest 
conviction  that  they  deserve  to  be  at  once  reduced  to  a 
parallel  with  the  basest  criminals  that  lie  fettered  within 
the  cells  of  our  public  prisons.'  "  * 

"  That  was  the  utterance  of  but  one  individual,"  said 
the  old  man,  again  coloring  slightly. 

"  But  it  voiced  the  sentiments  of  the  great  mass  of  the 

*  This  book  was  "  The  Impending  Crisis,"  by  one  Helper,  politi- 
cian and  philanthropist.  Over  100,000  copies  were  sold  in  New 
England  within  a  few  months. 


"that  vulgae  outlaw.'^  97 

people,  including  some  Democrats  who  belong  to  the 
party,  or  claim  to  do  so,  for  the  sake  of  the  loaves  and 
fishes  of  office.  As  a  proof  of  this  assertion,  it  has  the 
written  indorsement  of  Greeley,  Phillips,  Garrison, 
Stevens,  the  two  Shermans,  Chandler,  Seward,  Conkling, 
Conger,  Hoar,  and  so  on  down  to  the  merest  ward  poli- 
tician ;  besides  innumerable  State  officers,  and  sixty-eight 
Northern  members  of  CongressJ' 

The  old  gentleman  could  not  reply  to  this  damaging 
charge,  as  he  knew  it  to  be  fully  true.  He  seemed  for  a 
time  lost  in  thought,  but  finally  spoke  as  if  musing  to 
himself: 

"  The  Southern  people  are  pretty  hot  and  fiery,  too ; 
they  hanged  John  Brown." 

"  That  is  true,"  replied  the  young  man,  smiling  at  his 
companion's  abstractedness;  but  we  grow  hot  and  fiery 
only  when  we  see  lawful  rights  and  privileges  assailed,  or 
outrage  committed ;  while  they  evince  those  character- 
istics from  a  desire  to  deprive  of  rights  and  privileges 
and  commit  outrage.  As  to  John  Brown,  had  we  not 
hanged  that  vulgar  outlaw,  we  should  have  felt  ashamed 
to  hold  up  our  heads  in  the  world,  and  claim  to  possess 
the  highest  order  of  civilization. 

"I  imagine,  Mr.  Stewart,"  said  the  old  gentleman, 
meditatively,  "  that  you  will  go  into  this  war  with  your 
whole  heart  and  soul." 

"On  the  contrary,  sir,"  replied  the  young  man,  "I 
shall  be  actuated  only  by  a  sense  of  duty  to  my  country. 
We  shall  have  no  opportunity  to  fight  those  who  have 
made  the  trouble.  They  are  the  little  fice  dog  which  you 
have  often  seen,  no  doubt,  get  up  a  fight  between  two 
noble  animals,  and  then  sneak  off  to  a  place  of  safety. 
The  miserable  little  creature,  the  abolition  party,  which 


98      SEEKING  LOVE  AND   FINDING  ONLY  POLITICS. 

has  been  yelping  at  the  heels  of  the  South  for  more  than 
two  generations,  has  at  last  succeeded  in  getting  up  a 
fight  between  the  usually  good-natured  mastiif,  the  North, 
and  the  plucky  little  spitz,  the  South,  and  will  now  sneak 
into  government  contracts,  and  other  paying  home  employ- 
ments, and  howl  piteously  when  the  spitz  shall  worry 
the  mastiif,  or  yelp  with  furious  delight  if  the  ponderous 
jaws  of  the  mastiff  shall  crush  the  slender  bones  of  his 
adversary.  In  the  latter  event  he  will  come  out  from  his 
hiding  place,  after  the  spitz  is  entirely  dead,  to  mutilate 
and  feed  upon  his  carcass/' 

"  Upon  my  word,"  exclaimed  the  old  man,  laughing, 
and  again  coloring,  "you  are  a  vigorous  hater!  But 
what  becomes  of  your  allegiance  to  the  mother,  or  rather 
the  master  government  ?" 

"I  am  no  hater,  doctor,"  replied  the  young  man, 
earnestly.  "  I  hate  no  living  thing  upon  the  earth,  but  I 
feel  a  vigorous  contempt  for  canting  hypocrisy  and  coward- 
ice. I  could  even  feel  a  degree  of  respect  for  the  little 
fice  alluded  to,  if  it  had  the  courage  to  use  its  teeth  other- 
wise than  as  a  scavenger.  As  to  my  allegiance,  it  belongs 
to  my  state,  and  through  her,  only,  to  any  superior  gov- 
ernment. As  I  would  defend  my  mother  against  the 
dagger  of  an  assassin,  even  if  it  could  be  wielded  by  my 
own  father,  so  will  I  defend  my  state,  or  any  just  cause 
at  her  command,  it  matters  not  who  the  assailant  may 
be." 

"  Would  it  not  be  better  for  your  people  to  sacrifice 
some  of  their  rights  under  the  Constitution  than  to  be 
forced  to  sacrifice  all,  and  your  property,  too,  as  will  be 
the  case  if  you  make  a  stubborn  resistance  ?" 

"  That  remains  to  be  proven.  But  our  people  do  not 
make  such  thrifty  calculations.     We  will  surrender  all, 


"rose-buds  or  bayonets?"  99 

after  having  been  overcome  in  an  earnest  and  manly  de- 
fence, more  cheerfully  than  we  could  make  the  most 
trivial  surrender  which  would  leave  the  stain  of  moral 
cowardice." 

"  It  is  the  founding  of  action  upon  such  sentiments,  I 
presume,  that  makes  what  your  people  call  ^  chivalry/  " 

The  slight  sneer  with  which  the  old  gentleman  accom- 
panied this  remark  was  lost  on  his  guest,  for  the  great 
bell  having  sounded  the  noon  hour,  troops  of  laughing, 
romping  girls  frisked  through  the  halls,  out  into  the  dpen 
air,  where  they  congregated  in  groups  under  the  shade  of 
the  spreading  oaks,  or  formed  lounging  squads  in  the 
vine-covered  arbors.  In  one  of  these  sat  Miss  Florence 
Seymour,  looking  refreshingly  lovely  in  a  pale  blue  lawn, 
^  with  a  single  white  moss-rose  bud,  her  favorite  flower, 
in  the  fastening  of  her  dainty  lace  collar;  all  uncon- 
scious, perhaps,  that  her  gallant  knight  had  sustained  a 
wearisome  conversation  for  one  mortal  hour,  with  the 
hope  of  being  finally  rewarded  by  a  glance  into  her 
beautiful  violet  eyes.  Was  it  accident  or  design  that  had 
caused  her  to  select  Mr.  Stewart's  two  little  cousins — the 
Misses  Anderson — as  her  companions,  and  to  choose  the 
arbor  nearest  the  walk  that  lead  to  the  front  gate,  as  her 
resting  place?  Mr.  Stewart,  as  he  gazed  through  the 
window,  hoped  it  was  the  latter,  and  the  thought  caused  a 
flush  to  steal  to  his  cheeks  which  Dr.  Hansel  attributed 
to  the  remark  he  had  just  made  that  "the  ^chivalry'  will 
be  brought  to  their  knees,  quick  enough,  when  they  find 
a  hundred  thousand  troops  with  bayonets  at  their  throats." 
But  the  old  gentleman  was  astonished,  and  opened  his  eyes 
in  wonder  as  the  young  man  replied,  absently  : 

"I  fully  agree  with  you,  doctor;  bring  'em  to  their 
knees ; — only  think — hundred  thousand,  with  rose  buds 


100       SEEKING  LOVE  AND  FINDING  ONLY  POLITICS. 

at  their  throats  !  Oh — ah — I  beg  pardon  !  I  fear  I  did 
not  fully  understand — that  is,  I  meant  to  say  bayonets  ! 
But/^  he  added,  collecting  himself,  as  he  arose  and 
offered  his  hand,  "  I  fear  I  have  trespassed  too  long  on 
your  courtesy,  sir.  I  shall  give  myself  the  pleasure  of 
calling  again  soon  to  pay  my  respects  especially  to  the 
ladies.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  Frank  Conrad,  as 
I  passed  through  New  York,  and  he  made  me  the  bearer 
of  messages  to  his  cousin,  Miss  Seymour.  As  they  must 
be  \ielivered  in  person,  I  shall  keep  them  for  my  next 
call.'' 

Notwithstanding  this  intimation  from  the  young  gen- 
tleman that  he  desired  to  repeat  his  visit.  Dr.  Hansel  did 
not  invite  him  to  do  so ;  and  he  felt,  as  he  shook  the  old 
man's  hand,  that  he  had  grown  even  less  cordial  than  be- 
fore, and  that  there  was  nothing  to  hope  from  his  good 
offices,  but  all  to  fear  from  the  stumbling  blocks  which  it 
might  be  in  his  power  to  place  in  the  pathway  leading 
from  the  present  to  the  enchanted  castle  standing  out  so 
bright  and  beautiful  against  the  roseate  background  of 
the  future. 

Descending  the  broad  steps  of  the  front  portico,  with  a 
quick,  nervous  step,  Mr.  Stewart  walked  directly  to  the 
arbor  in  which  he  had  seen  the  queen  of  the  hundred 
thousand  curiously  equipped  troops  of  his  fancy,  and 
making  a  playful  allusion  to  Calypso's  grotto,  asked  to  be 
permitted  to  enter.  But  his  entry  was  not  made  with  his 
usual  gracefulness,  for  his  two  little  cousins,  seizing  him 
imceremoniously  and  hustling  him  about,  in  the  usual 
school-girl  fashion,  called  him  a  dear,  handsome,  mean, 
vagrant,  old  Ulysses,  and  finally  dragging  him  in,  ordered 
him  to  kneel  and  kiss  the  hand  of  the  goddess  of  the 
grotto. 


a   TXT      nKT  A7-T»Oi^'o       /-(T^^nvn/^    ^y 


IN   CALYPSO  S   GROTTO."  101 

Miss  Seymour,  blushing,  but  laughing  merrily  at  the 
frolicsome  welcome  of  the  little  misses,  extended  her  hand 
in  greeting,  and  the  flush  on  her  cheeks  deepened  to 
crimson  as  she  felt  the  tender,  lingering  pressure  of  the 
young  man^s  hand.  But  he  was  a  man  of  too  much  tact 
to  Imger  long  in  such  company ;  so  informing  his  little 
cousins  that  there  was  to  be  a  grand  pic-nic  on  Beaver 
Lake  during  the  ensuing  week,  and  that  he  had  been  ap- 
pointed envoy  extraordinary,  to  say  that  they  should  not 
be  invited  unless  they  promised  faithfully  to  procure, 
secure  and  guarantee  the  attendance  of  Miss  Seymour; 
and  having  heard  a  j^ositive  promise  to  attend  exacted 
from  that  young  lady,  he  waved  a  playful  adieu  to  the 
party ;  not,  however,  until  he  had  stooped  to  pick  up  the 
rose-bud  whicli  had  fallen — accidentally  (?) — from  the 
young  lady^s  throat,  and  had  quickly  but  carefully  placed 
its  stem  in  the  watch-pocket  of  his  vest." 

'^  Oh,  I  say,  cousin  Charles,"  called  the  elder  of  the 
little  cousins,  '^  I  forgot  to  ask  if  Lieutenant  Flournoy  will 
be  there ;  because,  if  he  is " 

"Of  course.  Lieutenant  Flournoy  will  be  there," 
laughed  the  young  man,  mimicking  the  stress  laid  upon 
the  title,  "  It  will  be  no*  pic-nic  at  all  if  the  lieutenant 
isn't  there ;  eh,  Clare  ?  " 

"  Well,  then,  you  needn't  expect  me  !  He  is  too  great 
a  tease  for  anybody  to  have  to  put  up  with,"  called  the 
young  lady,  making  a  face  at  her  cousin,  and  running 
back  into  the  arbor.  "  Only  think.  Miss  Florence,  John 
Flournoy  is  to  be  there.  He  was  a  bad  enough  tease  be- 
fore, and  I  know  there  will  be  no  putting  up  with  him  at 
all,  now  that  he  has  got  to  be  a  grand  lieutenant  in  the 
army." 


CHAPTER  yil. 

Counter  Conspieacy. 

''Mad  as  CJwistians  used  to  he 
About  the  thirteenth  century, 
There^s  lots  of  Christians  to  be  had 
In  this,  the  nineteenth,  just  as  mad  !  " 

— Moore's  Twopenny  Post  Bag. 

"FieoiiUf     Oh  fief  tis  an  vnweeded  garden 
That  grows  to  seed;  things  rank  and  gross  in  nature 
Possess  it.^' — Shakspeare's  Hamlet. 

"  MONSIEUR/'  said  Fox,  as  Mr.  Stewart  sat  on  the 
-^'J-  front  piazza  enjoying  the  afternoon  breeze,  after 
his  return  from  Barrensville,  and  dreamily  puffing  the 
smoke  from  a  long,  cane-root  stemmed,  clay  pipe,  which, 
being  made  of  Virginia's  red  clay,  he  patriotically  claimed 
was  superior  to  the  famous  meerschaum  from  Natolia, 
^'  Do  you  know,  or  did  you  ever  hear,  of  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Wheeless, — one  Charles  L.  Wheeless  ? '' 

"  Wheeless ;  Charles  L.  ?  "  •queried  the  young  man, 
languidly,  as  he  took  the  pipe  stem  from  his  mouth  and 
blew  a  cloud  of  smoke  up  toward  the  ceiling ;  "  no,  I 
think  not." 

"  Mr.  Howard  told  me,  yesterday,  that  you  knew  his 
history  and  antecedents.  He  is  the  fellow  who  ^  stole  the 
livery  of  heaven  to  serve  the  devil  in,'  so  to  speak.  He 
published  for  a  time,  in  North  Alabama,  a  Know-Nothing 
paper  called  the  Tiiscumbia  Democrat.'^ 

^'  Oh,  yes ;  I  recollect  him/'  said  Mr.  Stewart,  with 
some  animation.     '^  He  was  a  Know-Nothing,  but  claimed 

102 


"two  scurvy  p^ellows."  103 

to  be  a  red-hot  fire-eater,  till  the  Barrensville  Herald 
proved  him  to  be  the  blackest  kind  of  a  black  Republi- 
can Abolitionist.  The  two  papers  got  to  pitching  butcher 
knives  of  logic  and  politics  at  each  other,  and  the  Herald 
man,  suspecting  the  sincerity  of  Wheeless'  devotion  to  the 
honor  and  interests  of  the  South,  wrote  to  Eastman,  of 
the  Nashville  Union  and  American,  who  is  a  New  Hamp- 
shire man — as  Wheeless  claimed  to  be — to  inquire  about 
the  fellow.  Eastman  referred  the  Herald  man  to  Butter- 
field,  of  Concord,  editor  of  the  New  Hampshire  Patriot, 
and  Butterfield  gave  the  information  that  Wheeless  was 
not  only  a  fanatical  Abolitionist,  and  hater  of  the  South, 
but  was  a  throroughly  dishonest  person,  and  as  vile  a 
scamp  as  ever  took  leave  of  Concord  ^  between  two  days,' 
as  Butterfield  expressed  it.*  There  was  also  information 
of  such  a  nature  as  caused  "Wheeless,  when  it  came  to  his 
knowledge,  to  fear  a  term  in  prison,  and  he  left  Alabama 
as  he  had  left  Concord,  '  between  two  days.'  During  the 
next  year  he  sent  incendiary  pamphlets,  written  by  him- 
self, to  be  distributed  here ;  but  he  soon  quieted  doAvn, 
and  has  not  been  heard  from  since  the  first  year  of  our 
residence  here." 

"Do  you  think  so?"  queried  Fox,  with  a  knowmg 
smile.  "  But,  "  he  added,  "  I  want  to  ask  if  you  ever 
heard  of  one  William  A.  Purst?  "f 

"  Why,"  answered  Mr.  Steward,  with  a  laugh,  after  a 
full  puft*  from  his  pipe,  "you  must  be  in  humor  for 
enquiring  after  scurvy  fellows." 

"  Then,  as  you  know  of  him  also,"  said  Fox,  impres- 
sively, "  if  you  knew  that  those  two  fellows  were  here  in 

*  Eeal  names  are  given  here,  and  all  these  facts,  connected  with 
Wheeless'  history   in  Alabama,  can  be  verified  there  by  old  citizens. 
Wheeless  is  misspelt  for  obvious  reasons, 
t  The  name  Purst  is  purposely  misspelt. 


104  COUNTER   COXSPIRACY. 

Alabama,  doing  the  devil's  own  work,  would  you  object 
to  joining  our  Spirits  of  the  Lost  Clan  of  Cocletz  in  a 
raid  on  them  and  their  dupes  ?  ^' 

"  Dupes !  What  dupes  could  they  possibly  have  in 
Alabama?'' 

"  The  discontented  and  vicious  among  the  negro  popu- 
lation.'' 

"  And  how  could  they  do  ^  the  devil's  own  work ' 
on  them  ?  " 

"  Might  they  not  incite  those  of  the  class  of  which  I 
speak  who  may,  in  all  probability,  be  found,  here  and 
there,  to  do  the  devil's  work  with  the  torch  and  butcher 
knife,  after  the  white  men  of  the  country  have  gone  to 
the  front  ?  " 

"  Xo ;  there  are  too  few  of  that  class  •  none,  I  may  say, 
so  vicious  as  that.  I  am  Avilling  to  see  the  country  left 
in  the  hands  of  the  negroes,  with  the  old  men  to  advise 
and  direct,  and  do  not  fear  the  influence  of  any  foreign 
element.  Indeed,  if  we  do  not  make  up  our  minds  to 
leave  it  so,  we  had  as  well  surrender  at  once,  for  we  shall 
need  every  able-bodied  man  in  the  field." 

"  And  you  think  there  is  no  danger  of  riots  ? " 

^'^  No ;  the  abolition  papers  are  trying  to  frigliten  us 
with  threats  of  what  the  negroes  will  do,  but,  as  usual, 
they  only  prove  their  ignorance  of  any  correct  knowledge 
of  the  relations  existing  between  master  and  slave.  The 
negro  is  not  a  Puritan  in  his  instincts,  nor  is  he  a  white- 
washed savage  of  any  kind.  Whatever  he  may  have  been 
in  his  own  land,  he  has  here,  as  a  slave,  imbibed  our  civil- 
ization, our  Christianity  and  our  ideas  of  Christian  obli- 
gations and  duties.  He  might,  in  time,  be  made  to  for- 
get or  ignore  the  teachings  of  this  high  civilization  and 
pure  Christianity,  it  is  true,  if  he  were  cut  loose  from  our 


"  HUMBUGGED   NEGROES."  105 

influence  and  mastery,  but  even  in  his  natural  state,  in  his 
own  country,  he  did  not  perpetrate  the  hideous  crimes 
which  New  England  Puritanism  seems  to  be  hopefully 
expecting  of  him  here ;  and  our  war  will  show  to  the  dis- 
ciples of  John  Brown  a  sublime  spectacle — a  gallant 
people  fighting  to  free  themselves  from  danger  of  being 
brought  under  the  most  despotic  of  all  despotisms — a 
government  whose  ^  higher  law,'  above  all  other  laws,  is 
the  unbridled  will  of  a  majority,  while  four  millions  of 
^lashed  and  bleeding  slaves'  labor  faithfully  and  earnestly 
to  feed  and  clothe  the  army,  and  provide  comfortably  for 
^mistis  an'  de  babies,'  whose  chief  protectors  they  will  be." 

"  Yes,"  said  Fox,  somewhat  gloomily.  "  That  will  be 
the  case  if  the  negroes  are  left  to  be  governed  by  their 
own  feelings  and  instincts.  But  they  are  a  very  credu- 
lous people,  and  can  be  made,  most  of  them,  to  believe 
any  absurdity  that  may  be  plausibly  presented  by  shrewd 
and  designing  persons.  Suppose  I  should  tell  you  that 
already  a  few  here  and  there,  in  this  and  adjoining  coun- 
ties, and  perhaps  in  other  parts  of  the  state,  have  been 
made  to  believe  that  the  United  States  Government  is 
about  to  w^age  a  war  to  conquer  this  country,  and  turn  it 
over  to  themselves,  while  we  will  fight  to  prevent  this, 
and  to  secure  the  right  of  sending  them  to  work  in  the 
mines  and  coal-pits  of  the  North,  Svhere  the  snow  is 
three  feet  deep  in  August,'  as  they  are  told." 

"That  would  be  absurd,"  laughed  Mr.  Stewart.  "The 
negro  has  a  dread  of  Jack  Frost,  but  he  is  not  so 
great  a  fool  as  he  is  often  pictured  to  be  for  the  fun 
of  a  joke,  and,  besides,  his  love  and  confidence  are  not  so 
lightly  given,  nor  so  causelessly  withdra^vn,  as  is  often  the 
case  with  his  Avhite  brother.  But  still  he  is  ignorant,  and 
we  should  protect  him  from  imposition." 


106  COUNTER   CONSPIRACY. 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  admit  even  that  much/'  said 
Fox,  with  a  shade  of  sarcasm  in  his  voice.  ^'  You  are  in 
an  unusually  amiable  mood,  are  you  not?" 

"  Perhaps  so ;  at  any  rate,  I  feel  as  if,  for  the  sake  of 
one  gentle  Puritan  I  know  of,  I  could  ^  pray  for  those 
who  despitefully  use  us/  Does  that  indicate  an  unusually 
amiable  mood?"  asked  the  young  man,  with  a  smile. 
^^But,"  he  added,  "what  about  Wheeless  and  the  other 
fellow?" 

"To  be  brief,  sir,"  replied  Fox,  with  a  business-like 
look  settling  on  his  face,  "the  two  men  in  question 
are  in  this  country  traveling  about  on  the  ^under- 
ground railroad'  plan,  one  representing  himself  as  a 
patent  agent  from  Kentucky,  and  the  other  as  the  agent 
of  a  publishing  house  in  Louisville.  But  their  real  object 
and  design,  in  coming  here,  is  to  organize  the  negroes,  so 
that  there  shall  be  concert  of  action  between  them,  and 
they  shall  be  prepared  to  strike  one  terrible  blow  at  the 
supremacy  of  the  white  people,  at  a  time  when,  if  the  plan 
could  be  carried  out,  a  blow  of  the  nature  intended  would 
disband  the  most  gallant  army  that  ever  took  the  field." 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

"  I  must  answer  by  giving  you  a  history  of  the  whole 
affair.  On  the  morning  of  your  arrival  I  was  approached, 
at  the  station,  by  Purst,  who  had  been  led,  by  no  less 
a  person  than  Fred  Deaderick,  to  believe  that  I  am  a 
person  who  would  make  him  a  capital  and  willing  tool. 
'  V  What  Mr.  Deaderick's  object  was,  is  a  matter  for  further 
investigation,  for  I  must  do  him  the  justice  to  say  that  all 
my  endeavors  failed  to  connect  him  with  these  villainous 
plots,  any  further  than  a  mere  knowledge  of  their  exist- 
ence may  connect  him.  Perhaps  he  wished  to  get  me  in 
his  power,  so  that  he  might  get  revenge  for  the  unwilling 


"a  fearful  plot."  107 

baptizing,  which  he  received  at  the  hands  of  the  Spirits 
of  the  Lost  Clan,  for  his  ill-treatment  of  Henry's  brother- 
in-law.  Be  that  as  it  may,  I  took  a  seat  in  the  trap  set 
for  me,  and  on  that  very  night  I  attended  a  meeting  of 
the  conspirators,  who  call  themselves  the  ^Red  String 
Gang.' '' 

"  Well,  whom  did  you  find  there ;  and  what  did  you 
learn  that  is  of  consequence  ? '' 

"  The  only  negro  there,  who  has  force  of  character 
enough  to  give  his  joining  the  order  any  significance,  is 
the  ring-leader — under   the  white  men — Peter    Dillard 

who ." 

"  Peter  Dillard  ! "  exclaimed  the  young  man,  with  some 
astonishment,  ^^  I  would  not  have  supposed  it  possible  ! '' 

"  Nor  would  I,  but  he  was  there,  and  a  leader  !  And 
I  learnt  there,  and  at  subsequent  meetings,  that  there  are 
certain  Abolition  societies,  conducted  secretly,  in  all  the 
large  cities  and  towns  in  New  England,  and  in  some  of 
the  large  cities  in  other  sections — notably  Cincinnati, 
where  the  manufacturer  of  all  the  light  buggies  we  buy 
here  is  the  president  of  the  society — which  act  in  concert, 
and  have  sent  paid  emissaries  into  the  South,  who  are 
expected  to  organize  the  negroes,  and  hold  them  well  in 
hand,  until  the  two  armies  to  be  raised.  North  and  South, 
shall  be  about  to  join  in  a  great  battle,  which  they  think 
will  occur  in  Virginia,  near  Richmond.  Then  the  signal 
is  to  be  passed  along  the  lines  of  railroad,  and  the  whole 
South  is  to  be  swept  with  a  hurricane  of  fire  and  blood- 
shed.'' 

"Jupiter  Ultor  !"  exclaimed  the  young  master,  with  a 
laugh.  '^  What  a  '  tempest  in  a  tea-pot '  they  are  pre- 
paring for  us  ! "  but  seeing  a  shade  of  disappointment 
and  annoyance  pass  over  his  companion's  face,  he  added : 


108  COUNTER   CONSPIRACY. 

"  Do  you  really  believe,  Fox,  that,  even  amongst  the 
cranky  Puritans,  enough  crazy  fanatics  could  be  found  to 
form  a  society  so  extensive  as  you  intimate,  who  would  be 
so  lost  to  every  sense  of  moral  obligation,  to  say  nothing 
of  the  common  instincts  of  humanity,  as  to  be  willing  to 
instigate  so  revolting  a  crime  against  millions  of  helpless 
women  and  children  ?  ^^ 

"  My  dear  sir,"  replied  Fox,  earnestly,  ^^  there  is  no  ac- 
counting for  the  extremes  to  which  fanaticism  will  carry 
its  votaries,  particularly  when  they  ha^^  arrived  at  that 
point  of  madness  which  leads  them  to  believe  that  the  end 
sought  to  be  achieved  will  justify  any  means.  That  there 
have  been,  for  many  years,  such  secret  societies  as  I  speak 
of,  you  cannot  deny  ;  and  that  they  are  now^  preparing  for 
this  fiendish  work,  I  do  not  see  what  better  evidence  we 
could  desire  than  the  statements  of  their  emissaries,  who 
are  now  here,  trying  to  organize  and  prepare  the  negroes 
for  that  work." 

"Has  it  not  occurred  to  you  that  these  fellows  are 
merely  independent,  candidates  for  the  lash  or  the  gallows, 
who,  with  the  usual  bravado  of  their  class,  lay  claim  to 
a  strong  backing  which  really  exists  only  in  their  distem- 
pered imaginations?" 

"  No,  really ;-  that  has  not  occurred  to  me,"  said  Fox, 
showing  more  vexation  in  his  countenance  than  he  was 
conscious  of  ever  having  felt  toward  the  young  master ; 
"  but  it  now  occurs  to  me  to  congratulate  you  on  being  in 
a  remarkably  amiable  mood." 

"Well,  yes;"  replied  Mr.  Stewart,  smiling  at  his  com- 
panion's evident  annoyance,  "  I  do  not,  I  confess,  feel 
very  savage  even  toward  our  hereditary  enemies  this  after- 
noon. I  know  a  great  many  Northern  people,  have  trav- 
eled there  a  good  deal,  and  never,  to  my  knowledge,  have 


"discreditable  history."  109 

I  met  an  avowed  straight-out  Abolition  fanatic.  New 
England  is  very  prolific  of  fanatical  demagogues,  on  every 
question  of  public  interest,  and  there  is  not  an  extremist 
in  America,  North  or  South,  even  including  the  so-called 
'  fire-eaters '  in  our  section,  in  whose  blood,  if  you  care- 
fully trace  back  his  ancestry,  you  will  not  find  the  taint 
of  the  Puritan  virus.  Yet,  even  in  New  England,  the 
masses  are  about  such  people  as  we  have  here,  with  fail- 
ings and  virtues  about  evenly  divided.'' 

"  Yes,  the  great  mass  of  them,  no  doubt,  have  their 
virtues  as  well  as  their  failings ;  and  I  might,  possibly, 
doubt  the  full  truth  of  what  these  emissaries  state,  did  I 
not  know  the  history  of  Nat.  Turner's  insurrection,  and 
of  John  Brown's  more  recent  raid  into  Virginia.  The 
scheme  now  in  contemplation  is  substantially  the  same  as 
was  Brown's,  only  it  is  more  diabolical  and  more  cowardly. 
More  diabolical  because  the  attack  is  to  be  made  only  on 
women  and  children  and  a  few  old  men,  and  more  cow- 
ardlv  for  the  same  reason,  and  because  those  who  are  the 
active  organizers  of  the  plot  do  not  purpose  to  carry  the 
torch  and  butcher  knife  in  their  own  hands.  Brown's 
attempt  had  the  barbaric  merit  of  being  backed,  so  far  as 
he  himself  was  concerned,  by  a  certain  kind  of  brute 
courage ;  and  he  claimed,  as  these  men  do,  to  have  had  a 
strong  backing  at  the  North.  The  people  of  Virginia, 
and  of  the  South  generally,  disbelieved  his  assertions  in 
that  particular ;  but  when  he  was  hanged  under  the  laws 
of  Virginia  the  entire  truthfulness  of  all  he  said  was 
made  painfully  evident.  Did  not  the  State  Senate  of 
Massachusetts  entertain  a  motion  to  adjourn  '  out  of  re- 
spect for  the  sacredness  of  the  day '  of  his  execution,  and 
did  not  the  political  party  in  power  in  that  body  come 
within  thre£  votes  of  putting  that  powerful  commonwealth 


110  COUNTER   CONSPIRACY. 

ou  record  as  a  warm  sympathizer  with,  if  not  an  aider  of, 
that  most  damnable  and  revolting  plot  ?  Did  not  a  large 
majority,  if  not  all  the  towns  in  New  England,  cause  their 
church  bells  to  be  tolled,  and  did  not  congregations  assem- 
ble to  '  consecrate  the  day  ^  on  which  the  murderer  was 
hanged  ?  And  have  not  a  great  many  of  the  leading 
clergymen  of  New  England,  down  to  the  present  day, 
been  glorifying  him  as  a  saint  and  martyr  who  ^  died  in 
doing  God's  holy  work,'  and  w^hose  example  on  earth, 
like  that  of  the  blessed  Saviour,  is  worthy  of  all  imita- 
tion, as  affording  a  new  means  of  grace  which  will  give  a 
sure  hope  of  glory  here  and  hereafter  ?  And  has  not  the 
press,  as  well  as  the  pulpit  of  that  land,  to  say  nothing  of 
political  orators,  been  since  holding  up  the  ^patriotic, 
righteous  and  heroic '  deeds  of  that  arch  villain  for  the 
admiration  and  emulation  of  all  ^  worthy  American  citi- 
zens?' Tell  me  if  all  this  be  true,  and  if  it  be  at  all 
unlikely,  in  view  of  these  facts,  that  enough  fanatical  old 
women  and  emasculated  men  could  be  found  in  that  land 
of  active  tongues  and  torpid  livers — that  land  which  once 
persecuted  harmless  and  pious  Quakers,  and  denounced 
them  as  ^  locusts  from  the  pit  of  hell  ^ — who  would  be 
Avilling  to  ^  serve  God  and  their  country '  at  a  safe  dis- 
tance, by  furnishing  money  to  hire  men  to  plan  and  super- 
intend ^  the  blessed  work  '  of  slaughter  and  incendiarism  ?'' 
"Ah !  Fox,"  replied  Mr.  Stewart,  very  gravely,  "  you 
are  an  artful  fellow,  and  know  where  to  reach  in  order  to 
touch  the  hidden  chords  of  that  passiOn,  which  is  my  one 
besetting  sin.  But  you  should  place  to  the  credit  of 
Massachusetts,  the  fact,  that  of  late  years,  only  the  worst 
men  there,  as  a  rule,  have  come  to  the  front  in  politics  ; 
and,  to  the  credit  of  the  New  England  towns,  the  fact 
that  only  one  knave  and  fool  is  enough  to  ring  a  bell,  and 


"political  preachees.  Ill 

if  another  should  propose  to  ^  preach  a  sermon  '  on  a  novel 
and  exciting  topic,  a  crowd  might  easily  be  assembled 
through  motives  of  mere  curiosity.  As  to  the  clergymen 
generally,  who  have  never  tired  of  glorifying  Brown  and 
abusing  us,  it  is  to  be  expected,  when  alleged  disciples  of 
the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  who  have  set 
themselves  up  to  teach  in  public  places,  shall  ignore  His 
example  on  earth,  and  attempt  to  improve  on  His  teach- 
ings, their  teaching  will  be  such  as  the  Evil  One  has 
taught  through  his  disciples  from  the  beginning  of  time. 
But  I  agree  that  these  conspirators  must  be  attended  to, 
it  matters  not  whether  they  come  as  emissaries  of  Puritan 
clubs,  or  as  independent  candidates  for  the  hangman's 
honors.     Why  not  turn  them  over  to  the  law  ?  " 

'^  Yes,  the  laws  of  the  State  would  send  them  to  the 
penitentiary  for  what  they  have  already  done  ;  but  this  is 
no  time  to  appeal  to  the  law.  Our  people  are  thinking 
more  of  ^Hardie's  Tactics,'  and  the  'Schoolof  the  Soldier,' 
than  of  courts  and  civil  processes.  If  the  case  were 
brought  up,  I  imagine  Judge  Tyus  would  order  Tom  Cox 
to  have  the  long-roll  sounded  to  call  the  court  together, 
would  appoint  Benton  Sanders  judge  advocate,  would 
sit  on  a  drum-head  and  order  the  prisoners  to  be  shot  to 
death  w^ith  musketry  as  spies  ;  forgetting  that,  according 
to  the  laws  of  war,  spies  should  be  hanged.  But,"  added 
Fox,  smiling  slightly  at  his  own  humorous  conceit,  "to  be 
serious,  I  think  this  case  should  be  so  managed  as  not  to 
arouse  apprehensions  in  the  minds  of  the  women  and 
children,  Avho  must,  before  another  year  shall  bring  its 
harvest  season,  be  left  practically  alone  with  the  negroes 
as  their  protectors  ;  and  yet,  at  the  same  time,  to  punish 
these  foreigners  to  our  soil  in  such  a  manner  as  will  strike 
terror  to  the  hearts  of  their  few  dupes  among  the  negroes/' 


112  COUNTER   COXSPIRACY. 

"  There  is  no  fear  tliat  the  women  and  children  can  be 
made  to  have  any  very  serious  apprehension  ;  but  wliat 
do  you  propose?'' 

^^  Let  me  say,  first,  that  while  I  fully  believe  the  confi- 
dence felt  in  the  loyalty  of  the  negroes,  generally,  is  not 
misplaced,  yet  only  a  very  small  number  will  be  neces- 
sary in  each  county  to  ^  start  the  ball,'  as  they  express  it, 
and  once  started,  these  men  think,  all  will  join  '  to  swell 
the  mighty  cry  of  freedom.'  This  is  my  plan  :  I  have 
succeeded  in  getting  them  to  appoint  a  meeting  for  this 
neighborhood,  at  the  old  Cocletz  gin-house,  and  it  comes 
off  on  Saturday  night  next.  That  will  be  the  last  meet- 
ing which  Wheeless  is  to  attend  for  a  long  time  in  N^orth 
Alabama,  as  on  the  next  dav  he  leaves  for  Mobile,  and 
we  must  see  that  it  shall  be  the  last  ever  held  by  those 
men.  The  Spirits  of  the  Lost  Clan  of  Cocletz,  must 
swoop  down  upon  them  there  and  then,  and  bear  them  off 
into  infinite  space,  before  the  eyes  of  the  negroes." 

Fox  chuckled  for  a  moment  over  this  scheme,  while 
the  young  master  seemed  to  be  engaged  in  deep  thought. 
Finallv,  the  latter  asked  : 

"And  then— what?" 

"  That  will  be  all,  so  far  as  they  are  concerned," 
laughed  Fox ;  "  but  you  recollect  the  Knights  of  the 
Golden  Circle ! " 

"  KuKLOS ! "  exclaimed  Mr.  Stewart,  elevating  his 
eyebrows.     "AYell?" 

"  Exactly  ! "  said  Fox.  "  The  designs  of  our  talented 
captain-general  in  Kentucky,  and  his  brilliant  lieutenant 
in  the  land  of  the  Montezumas,  are  already  frustrated  by 

this  war.     His  Excellency,  M D will  not  or 

cannot  bring  his  ten  thousand  troops  here  to  help  us, 
and   as   to    ******     *    and   every   individual 


"the  golden  circle."  113 

American  who  expected  to  hasten  to  his  battle-call,  'satagit 
rerum  suarumj  It  is  not  likely,  therefore,  that  the  harsh 
Greek  dissyllable  which  you  have  just  uttered  will  ever 
become  a  battle-cry  unless  we  determine  that,  in  view  of 
the  certain  failure  of  the  designs  of  the  organization,  we 
have  a  right  to  consider  ourselves  freed  from  all  obliga- 
tions to  it,  and  shall  appropriate  to  ourselves  a  part  of  its 
machinery  and  organization,  with  a  view  to  preserving  for 
ourselves  what  it  was  designed,  in  part,  to  impose  upon 
others — order,  civilization,  and  a  wholesome  dread  of  the 
consequences  of  outlawry.  A  union  of  the  practical  in 
the  Golden  Circle,  with  the  mysterious  in  the  Lost  Clan, 
will  make  an  excellent  and  interesting  secret  organization, 
which  may  be  made  to  do  the  country  good  service, 
besides  punishing  the  two  miscreants  already  here.'^ 

^'  But  what  is  the  necessity  for  secrecy  ?  " 

"  It  gives  a  charm  to  all  organizations,  and  gives 
strength  to  weakness.  See  what  the  Abolitionists,  at  first 
a  little  despised  faction,  even  in  their  own  country,  have 
accomplished  by  means  of  their  secret  societies.  But 
while  there  is  no  real  necessity  for  secrecy,  at  present,  and 
in  dealing  with  this  case,  how  would  it  be,  in  the  course 
of  the  war,  if  the  enemy  should  get  possession  of  North 
Alabama.  The  Tennessee  river  furnishes  a  broad  high- 
way for  their  gunboats  and  transports,  and  we  must 
expect  that  they  will  avail  themselves  of  it  and  forage  on 
us  freely  and  frequently." 

"  Have  you  heard  these  men  speak  of  other  emissaries 
in  the  South  ?  " 

^'  They  have  spoken  of  several  others,  but  I  could  not 
learn  where  they  now  are.  I  have  not  thought  it  prudent 
to  appear  inquisitive,  but  I  hope  to  get  their  carpet-bags, 
with  letters  and  papers,  on  Satui'day  night." 


114  COUNTER   CONSPIRACY. 

"  What  will  Howard,  the  captain  of  our  camp  of  the 
Golden  Circle,  say  to  your  proposition  to  amalgamate  it 
with  the  Spirits  of  the  Lost  Clan  ?  " 

"  I  went  to  see  Mr.  Howard  on  that  subject  while  you 
were  away,  and  he  is  in  favor  of  it ;  considers  that,  the 
order  being  now  virtually  dead,  we  need  not  consider  our 
obligations  to  it  as  binding  further  than  as  regards  the 
divulging  of  names  and  facts  which  might  possibly  work 
future  annoyance  to  some  of  the  order ;  indeed,  he  was  so 
well  pleased  with  the  idea,  and  so  fully  impressed  with 
the  belief  that  it  may  be  made  to  do  great  good,  that  he 
set  to  work  immediately  to  perfect  the  plan,  and  said  he 
would  notify  all  the  knights  in  his  neighborhood — five, 
I  think — to  meet  us  here  this  afternoon,  and  consult  and 
arrange  for  the  raid  on  Saturday  night."  . 

This  conversation  was  continued  for  half  an  hour  or 
longer,  when  Mr.  Stewart  discovered  the  expected  party 
approaching  up  the  east  road  at  half  speed,  riding  two 
and  two,  with  Messrs.  Howard  and  Flournoy  in  the  lead. 
As  they  neared  the  front  gate  the  latter,  placing  an  ima- 
ginary lance  in  rest,  charged  at  full  speed  upon  the 
peacock,  which,  as  usual,  was  perched  upon  the  arched 
framework  of  the  open  gate.  As,  in  imagination,  his 
long  lance  entered  the  gaudy  plumage  of  the  drowsy 
bird,  he  shouted  the  cabalistic  cry,  "  Kuklos  ! "  to 
which  the  startled  and  indignant  fowl  shrieked  a  discor- 
dant echo  as  he  alighted  upon  the  ground  fifty  feet 
away. 


CHAPTER    yill. 
The  Fiest  Kuklux  Outeage. 

"lam  thy  father's  spirit, 
Doomed  for  a  certain  time  to  walk  the  night, 
And,  for  the  day,  confined  to  fast  in  fires." 

— Shakspeare's  Hamlet. 

"  Hush,  hark!  as  from  the  centre  of  the  deep — 
Shrieks— fiendish  yells/" — Dana's  Buccaneer. 

f\N  the  following  Saturday  afternoon  it  would  have 
^  puzzled  any  one  who  might  have  been  an  observer 
of  Fox's  movements  to  imagine  what  mysterious  work 
he  was  engaged  in.  Some  time  before  sunset  he  left  The 
Oaks,  and  riding  rapidly  in  the  direction  of  the  "  Bar- 
rens/' alighted  in  a  dense  forest,  wdth  thick  undergrowth, 
just  as  the  shades  of  twilight  had  begun  to  obscure  sur- 
rounding objects.  Inserting  his  hand  into  a  pair  of 
pockets  attached  to  his  saddle,  he  drew^  out  two  strips  of 
the  hairy  hide  of  some  animal,  with  strings  attached. 
These  he  tied  over  the  soles  of  his  boots,  and,  after  seeing 
that  they  were  well  secured,  he  set  out  on  foot,  leading 
his  horse  through  the  forest  in  a  straight  line,  which  he 
pursued  for  more  than  a  mile.  Then,  makmg  a  large 
circuit,  he  returned  in  the  direction  from  which  he  had 
come  about  half  a  mile,  when,  making  a  sudden  turn  to 
the  left,  he  arrived  in  a  few  moments  at  an  old  hedge-row 
of  briers  and  brambles  that  had  grown  up  along  the 
line  of  a  fence  which  had  now  almost  entirely  disappeared. 
8  115 


116  THE    FIRST   KUKLUX    OUTRAGE. 

This  grovfth  offered  uo  serious  obstruction  to  his  entrance 
into  a  wide  field,  near  the  middle  of  which  stood  a  large 
dilapidated  house,  that  was  evidently  an  abandoned  gin- 
house  ;  for  about  forty  feet  in  front  of  it  stood  a  large 
screw-press,  made  from  the  solid  trunk  of  a  giant  pine, 
which,  standing  fully  thirty  feet  high,  with  its  lever  arms 
extended,  looked  in  the  darkness  like  a  colossal  sentinel 
warning  away  all  intruders. 

Approaching  to  within  a  hundred  feet  of  this  weird 
sentinel.  Fox  hitched  his  horse  to  a  bush,  and,  keeping 
away  from  the  old  buildings,  walked  several  times  around 
them,  making  a  circle  whose  radius  was  about  one  hun- 
dred feet.  Then,  muttering  to  himself,  with  a  ner- 
vous laugh,  which  changed  to  a  half  shudder  as  he 
glanced  at  the  shadows  which  the  level  rays  of  the  rising 
moon  were  causing  to  hide  behind  the  massive  and 
unhewn  pillars  of  the  old  house,  ^^  Those  hounds  will 
think  this  the  largest  and  most  eccentric  fox  they  ever 
nosed  in  this  or  any  other  country !  ^'  he  mounted,  and 
glancing  furtively  over  his  shoulder  at  the  deepening 
shadows  cast  by  the  old  house,  pressed  the  rowels  into  the 
flanks  of  his  horse,  and  rode  rapidly  away,  all  uncon- 
scious that  his  movements  had  been  observed  by  a  wide- 
eyed  watcher,  w^hose  startled  gaze  had  been  fixed  on  him 
through  the  broken  lattice  of  the  gable  window.  Scarcely 
had  the  last  sound  made  by  the  intruder  died  away  in 
the  distance,  before  the  silent  watcher  protruded  its  head 
from  the  broken  window,  and,  after  stretching  its  neck 
to  ascertain  if  there  was  no  longer  the  sight,  sound  or 
scent  of  a  human  being  near,  it  sprang  lightly  from  the 
window  to  the  top  of  the  worm-eaten  press  opposite,  and 
gave  a  whoop  that  made  the  woods  resound  for  miles 
around — that  peculiarly  startling  whoop  of  astonishment 


"  COXSPIRATORS   AaSEMBLING.^'  117 

which  has  often  curdled  the  blood  of  the  solitary  night- 
walker  in  the  vicinity  of  Southern  swamps,  which,  as  it 
has  startled  him  a  hundred  times  before,  he  instantly 
recognizes  as  the  tripartite  shout  of  the  large  swamp  owl. 
In  a  moment  the  shout  was  answered  from  the  depths  of 
the  swamp  a  mile  away,  and  for  two  hours  the  unsociable 
neighbors  kept  up  a  solemn  confab,  occasionally  varying 
the  monotony  of  sound  by  a  chattering  rhythmus,  the 
solemn  monotone  of  which,  the  negroes  have  a  supersti- 
tion, is  the  music  to  which  some  lost  soul,  about  to  take  its 
departure  to  the  shades  of  Hades,  executes  a  valedictory 
dance  among  the  drooping  branches  of  the  weeping 
cypress. 

Suddenly  three  sharp  raps  upon  the  trunk  of  a  distant 
tree  startled  the  solemn  dialogist,  causing  him  to  spring 
into  the  air  and  hurriedly  seek  the  nearer  vicinity  of  his 
distant  neighbor,  as  four  dusky  figures  cautiously 
emerged  from  the  darkness  of  the  forest,  and  made  their 
way  across  the  field  to  the  dilapidated  gin-house,  which 
— like  all  buildings  of  the  kind  then  to  be  found  in  the 
most  productive  regions  of  the  cotton  belt — stood  upon 
twelve  enormous  posts  or  pillars,  made  from  the  undressed 
stump-cuts  of  the  trunks  of  as  many  walnut  or  poplar 
monarchs  of  the  forest.  One  side  of  this  was  closed  by 
the  "  lint-room,'^  which,  in  the  long-gone  days  of  its  use- 
fulness, received  the  cotton,  divested  of  the  seed,  as  it 
came  from  the  '^  gin-stand  ^'  located  on  the  floor  supported 
by  the  pillars  referred  to.  The  party,  passing  in  under 
the  gin-house,  seated  themselves  upon  the  heavy  levers  of 
the  ponderous  wooden  cog-wheel  which  formerly  drove 
the  ginning  machinery,  and  engaged  in  an  earnest  con- 
versation, carried  on  in  a  low  tone.  Soon  the  sound  of 
three   raps   again    came   up   from   the   forest,   and   was 


118  THE   FIRST   KUKLUX    OUTRAGE. 

answered  by  the  party  already  arrived.  Again  and  again 
came  the  sounds,  till,  in  the  course  of  half  an  hour,  more 
than  two  dozen  men  were  seated  under  the  shadow  of  the 
gin-house. 

"Well,  boys,'^  said  one  of  the  party,  stepping  out  into 
the  moonlight,  and  revealing  the  features  of  a  white  man, 
"  it  seems  that  we  are  not  to  have  much  of  a  crowd,  and  we 
had  as  well  go  to  work.  Hadn't  we  better  put  out 
pickets?'' 

"Yes,  sir  !"  "Certainlv  !"  "Of  course!  "  came  from 
half  a  dozen  negro  voices.  "  I  didn't  want  to  come  to  dis 
place,  nohow,"  added  one. 

"  I  don't  think  it  is  necessary  to  put  out  pickets,"  said 
a  voice,  recognized  as  Fox's.  "  We  can  see  in  every  direc- 
tion except  to  the  south  of  us,  and  there  is  a  swamp  on 
that  side.  Besides,  we  are  now  on  the  premises  of  old 
Cocletz,  and  I,  for  one,  had  rather  keep  with  the  crowd. 
I  didn't  like  the  sound  of  that  voice  which  we  said  was 
an  owl's." 

"An  'twas  a  owl,  too,"  said  the  indignant  voice  of  a 
negro,  which  assumed  a  persuasive  tone,  as  it  added: 
"  Now,  Fox,  what's  de  use  o'  talkin'  in  dat  way  ?  You 
was  de  biggest  man  for  meetin'  at  dis  place,  and  said  you 
didn't  believe  in  dem  Coclutch  sperrits." 

"  Ah  !  Peter,"  replied  Fox,  "  the  sun  was  shining  then, 
and  I " 

"  Come,  come,"  said  the  first  speaker,  impatiently,  "  all 
that  is  nonsense !  But  I  think  we  had  better  put  a  picket 
on  the  south  side,  for  I've  no  doubt  persons  can  pass 
along  the  edge  of  the  swamp." 

"  Yes,  sar ;  an'  ole  Mister  Coclutch  kin  pass  throo'  it 
too,  or  over  it,  or  any  way,"  said  the  voice  of  a  negro. 

"Come,"  said  the  first  speaker,  "all  that  is  mere  non- 


"an  unwilling  picket."  119 

sense.  Who'll  volunteer  to  stand  picket  on  the  south 
side?" 

"  I  move  we  'pints  Fox/'  said  a  voice. 

"  Me,  too  !    me,  too ! "  answered  a  dozen  voices. 

"Fox  was  mighty  brave  'bout  talkin',"  added  one,  "an' 
he  'tended  like  he  didn't  b'lieve  nothin'. " 

"  But,  my  friends,"  said  Fox,  protestingly,  "  I  don't 
think  it  necessary,  and,  besides,  I  have  no  arms." 

"I  kin  len'  you  my  yawger,"  said  one. 

"An'  I'se  got  a  hoss-pistol  you  kin  git,"  said 
another. 

"  Oh,"  said  Fox,  laughing,  "  yawgers  and  '  hoss-pistols ' 
haven't  any  back-bone.     Who's  got  a  repeater  ?  " 

"  You  can  take  mine,"  said  the  white  man,  who  was 
Mr.  Purst,  handing  the  weapon  to  Fox,  who,  after  ex- 
amining it  in  the  moonlight,  remarked  : 

"This  will  do  pretty  well ;  but  haven't  you  a  larger 
one,  Mr.  Wheeless?" 

"No,"  replied  tlie  individual  addressed,  speaking  for 
the  first  time,  as  he  stepped  out  into  the  moonlight. 
"  Mine  is  rather  smaller." 

Fox  examined  the  other  pistol  critically,  and  then  said  : 

"Well,  boys,  I  will  go,  though  it  is  unnecessary,  and  I 
don't  like  this  picket  business!  But  if  anything  ap- 
proaches without  giving  the  signal  it  shall  have  a  bullet 
in  its  head,  if  it  carries  a  head,  be  it  old  Cocletz  or  the 
devil." 

As  Fox,  taking  unceremonious  leave,  strode  around 
the  corner  of  the  "lint  room"  one  of  the  negroes,  whose 
eyes  looked  larger  than  was  their  wont,  remarked  : 

"  Dat  white  nigger  is  sheered  mos'  to  death  dis  very 
minnit,  an'  he'd  ruther  turn  es  black  es  tar  dan  to  run  up 
wid  dat  ole  Coclutch  or  de  boys." 


120  THE   FIKST   KUKLUX   OUTRAGE. 

There  was  a  suppressed  •  giggle  from  several  at  this  re- 
mark, as  Purst  said : 

^^  What  is  there  to  be  scared  at?  No  one  is  likely  to 
come  here,  and  no  one  knows  anything  about  us." 

"Ah  !  boss,"  replied  one,  "you  don't  know  what  dat 
ole  Coclutch  knows — him  an'  de  boys — dey  knows  a 
heap,  ef  you  hear  my  racket;  an'  ef  you  white  folks 
wasn't  'long  wid  us  de  grass  wouldn't  grow  under  my 
foots  'twixt  dis  an'  home.  I  didn't  want  to  meet  at  dis 
place,  nohow." 

"  Oh,  nonsense,"  said  Purst,  turning  away.  "  Let  us 
get  to  work.  Do  you  expect  any  more  people,  Dil- 
lard  ?  " 

"  I  specks  more,  boss,"  said  a  stalwart  fellow  of  medium 
height,  but  with  the  build  of  a  Vulcan,  "but  I  don't 
reckon  dev's  a  comin'.  I  has  done  de  bes'  I  could,  an' 
maybe  I  has  done  a  leetle  too  much,  but  I  has  talked  to 
every  nigger  dat  comes  to  my  shop — sorter  feelin'  'roun' 
like — an'  de  heft  on  em  had  ruther,  a  heap  ruther,  fite 
wid  de  white  folks  dan  to  fite  agin  'em.  Hit  ain't  'cause 
dey  loves  de  Avhite  folks  es  white  folks,  but  dey  has  a 
heap  o'  foolishness  in  dar  heads  'bout  dis  ole  miss  an'  dat 
young  master,  an'  all  dat.  Fact  is,  a  nigger  is  gwine  to 
be  a  nigger,  dead  or  'live.  Dey  won't  take  up  wid  new 
notions  in  a  big  swivet  nohow ;  an'  when  you  spots  a 
nigger  dat  you  think  has  got  a  place  in  his  head  you 
can  pour  sense  into,  de  chances  is  dat  you  has  done  los' 
your  munny. 

"AVell,  there  are  some  new  men  here,  I  see,"  said 
Purst,  encouragingly,  glancing  over  the  dusky  crowd,  who 
were,  for  the  most  part,  lounging  about  and  keeping  an 
eye  on  the  adjacent  woods. 

"  One  boss ;  des  one.     I  hes  talked  an'  I  hes  talked, 


"unwilling  incendiakies."  121 

but  a  nigger's  head  ain't  kinky  for  nothin'.  His  shins  is 
monstrous  tender,  but  his  head  is  es  hard  es  a  rock,  an 
kin  butt  de  bottom  outen  de  bes'  argyment  in  de  books. 
But  es  I  was  a  savin',  dey  don't  keer  perticler  'bout  white 
folks,  es  white  folks,  an'  a  idee  has  got  into  my  head.  Ef 
dey  was  whar  dey  didn't  know  de  white  folks  dey  mought 
do!     See?" 

"  No,  I  don't  see." 

"  \Yell,  ef  you  ever  'spects  to  do  much  you  has  got  to 
swap  em  about.  Take  de  niggers  from  dis  county,  an'  sen 
em  to  de  nex'  county,  an'  swap  about  dat  way.  Hit  won't 
'mount  to  much  no  other  way.  Bless  de  Lawd,  ef  de 
good  day  dat  you  say  is  a  comin'  wa.s  done  come,  I  b'lieve 
my  own  mammy  would  bust  my  head  open  wid  a  axe  'fore 
she'd  'low  me  to  stick  a  chunk  o'  fire  to  ole  mistisses 
house; — an'  dat's  a  fack." 

"  Oh,  well,"  said  Purst,  impatiently,  seeing  that  Peter 
Dillard's  words  had  attracted  the  other  negroes,  who  were 
gathering  around,  one  by  one,  '^you  needn't  set  fire  to 
widow's  houses.  No  one  is  going  to  ask  you  to  do  that. 
When  the  proper  time  arrives,  you  can  just  light  a  gin- 
house  here  and  there  as  a  rallying  signal,  and  as  a  sign 
that  you  mean  business — march  through  the  countr}^  and 
capture  all  who  do  not  join  you,  and  let  it  be  seen  that 
you  are  masters  of  the  country.  Let  the  women  and 
children,  who  have  been  kind  to  you,  alone,  and  the  men, 
too,  for  that  matter,  if  they  will  let  you  alone.  But  if 
they  will  not,  then  show  your  manhood  and  wipe  them  off 
the  face  of  the  earth.  Let  nothing  stay  your  progress  till 
you  have  swept  the  state,  and  have  a  man  of  your  own 
choice  in  the  governor's  office.  All  this  can  be  done,  with 
little  or  no  bloodshed,  and  with  but  little  destruction  of 
property,  if  the  few  white  men  left  in  the  country  are  not 


122  THE   FIRST   KUKLUX    OUTRAGE. 

foolishly  obstinate.  That  was  John  Brown's  plan  in 
Virginia,  which  would  have  been  successful,  but  for  the 
interference  of  the  United  States  Government  and  its 
troops,  and  this  is  but  a  renewal  of  Brown's  plans  and 
eiforts  on  a  larger  scale,  with  better  organization,  with 
more  brains  and  money,  and  with  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment and  its  troops  on  our  side.  If  the  slave  is  ever 
to  be  free  the  next  three  months  will  decide,  and  it  is  in 
your  power  to  solve  the  problem  in  your  own  favor.  The 
present  is  your  opportunity." 

^'  Ef  all  you'se  tole  us,  boss,  fust  an  last,  is  true,''  re- 
marked a  tall,  lank-looking  negro,  "  de  opportunity,  es  you 
calls  it,  looks  good  enough ;  but  you  was  talkin'  'bout  de 
white  folks  bein'  obstinate,  an'  I  kin  tell  you  right  now 
dey  is  gwine  to  be  obstinate,  an'  don't  you  forgit  it.  Ef 
de  niggers  gits  to  cavortin  like  you's  a  talkin'  about,  ef  dar 
wan't  but  one  man  lef  in  the  country,  an'  he  didn't  have 
nothin'  to  fight  wid  but  a  fence  rail,  he'd  snatch  up  dat, 
an'  pitch  into  all  de  niggers  in  sight,  an'  you  kin  bet  your 
bottom  dollar  on  dat ! " 

"  The  greater  fool  he  ! "  said  Wheeless,  ^Yith  a  sneer. 
"  But  we  have  no  use  for  cowards  in  this  business.  Are 
you  a  member  of  the  '  Gang  ? '  " 

"  No,  boss,  not  yit,  an'  I  ain't  no  coward,  nuther.  A 
man  ain't  got  but  one  time  to  die,  an'  it  don't  make  much 
diff'unce  how,  an'  I  don't  want  to  freeze  in  dat  country 
whar  br'er  Peter  Dillard  tells  me  dey  gits  ice  in  August ; 
but  I  only  didn't  want  you  to  fool  yourself  'bout  dase 
white  folks  fightin' — specially  dem  what  looks  like  butter 
wouldn't  melt  in  dey  mouf." 

"  Rap,  rap, — rap,"  sounded  from  the  direction  of  the 
swamp,  startling  the  whole  party,  and  causing  those  who 
were  sitting  to  spring  to  their  feet.     Half  a  dozen  heads 


"CX)ME   IN   TO   DE   MEETIN\"  123 

were  popped  around  the  corner  of  the  "  lint  room,"  and 
Fox  was  discovered  approaching. 

"What  is  it,  Fox/'  was  asked  as  soon  as  he  came 
within  easy  speaking  distance. 

"Oh,  nothing  much,  I  guess,"  replied  Fox,  w^ith  a 
slightly  trembling  voice,  and  some  little  show  of  excite- 
ment, "  only  something  gliding  over  the  sw^amp,  which, 
as  I  went  to  shoot,  suddenly  disappeared.  This  so  startled 
me  that  I  dropped  the  pistol  into  the  water.  I  want 
another." 

As  Fox  spoke,  he  was  drawn  in  under  the  shadow  of 
the  gin-house,  and  when  he  ceased,  a  dozen  questions  were 
fired  at  him. 

"What  was  it?"  "How  big  was  it?"  "AYhat  did  it 
look  like  ?"    "  Did  it  fly,  or  des  banish  out  o'  sight  ?" 

"  I  don't  know ;  don't  ask  me,"  said  Fox,  answering 
all  at  once ,  "  I  want  a  pistol." 

"  Oh,  it  was  nothing  but  an  owl,  of  course.  Here, 
D'Elfons,  you  can  take  my  repeater,"  said  Wheeless ;  and 
Fox,  after  exchanging  w^eapons,  immediately  returned  to 
his  post,  without  replying  to  any  more  questions. 

It  was  some  time  before  the  minds  of  the  negroes  could 
settle  down  to  their  usual  equanimity  ;  but  still  they  could 
not  resist  the  temptation  to  have  their  little  jokes  at  Fox's 
expense.  Finally,  the  watchers  at  the  corner  of  the  lint 
room,  seeing  Fox  strike  a  match,  and  light  a  cigar,  felt 
reassured  by  his  coolness,  and  responded  to  Peter  Dillard's 
call  to  "  come  in  to  de  meetin'.  " 

Purst,  on  opening  the  meeting,  explained  apologetically 
to  Wheeless  that  he  had  expected  at  least  fifty  colored 
men  to  be  present ;  but  that  they  were  "  making  haste 
slowly,"  on  account  of  the  caution  necessary  to  be  observed. 
Mr.  Wheeless  made  a  short  address,  explaining  the  object 


124  THE   FIRST   KUKLUX    OUTRAGE. 

and  workings  of  the  organization ;  and,  Peter  Dillard 
having  produced  a  roll  of  red  tape,  the  ceremony  of  initia- 
ting the  new  member  was  begun.  A  moment  later,  it  was 
noticed  by  some  of  the  party  that  the  faint  cry  of  a  fox 
hound  was  heard  off  to  the  northward,  and  soon  after  that 
others  "  opened,''  until  a  full  pack  had  "  given  tongue.'' 
For  a  time  they  seemed  to  be  bearing  in  the  direction  of 
the  Cocletz  place  :  but  soon  it  was  perceived  that  they  were 
turning  to  the  left ;  and  the  ceremony,  which  had  been 
somewhat  interrupted,  proceeded.  Then  again  they 
appeared  to  be  making  straight  for  the  gin-house,  and  there 
was  considerable  stir  among  the  negroes  as  the  candidate 
was  invested  with  the  "  red  string,"  tied  in  the  third  but- 
ton-hole— or  rather  that  was  the  proper  place,  but,  as  his 
sack  coat  had  only  one  button-hole,  it  was  tied  in  that — 
and  then  clipped  with  due  ceremony.  Every  word  of  the 
interesting  ceremony,  hoAvever,  typifying  the  "  clipping  of 
an  atom  from  the  loathsome  bodv  of  slaverv,"  was  lost  on 
the  candidate,  for  he  was  looking  over  his  shoulder  in  the 
direction  of  the  chase,  and  had  heard  one  of  the  negroes 
say,  in  a  hoarse  whisper,  "  It's  cur'ous  dat  you  don't  hear 
nobody  a  hollerin'."  The  ceremony  being  over,  the  usual 
lecture  seemed  to  have  been  forgotten  ;  and  even  the  white 
men  crouched  and  gazed  in  the  direction  of  the  chase, 
which  was  now  sweeping  along  in  the  edge  of  the  forest, 
and  appeared  about  to  pass  by. 

"  It's  mighty  strange  you  don't  hear  nobody  a  whoopin' 
an'  a  hollerin',"  again  said  a  negro,  in  a  low  voice. 

"  Oh,"  said  Wheeless,  also  in  a  whisper,  "  it  is  only 
some  one's  pack  on  a  free  hunt." 

"  'Zackly,"  said  the  new  member,  "  ole  Mr.  Coclutch's, 
fur  an  instance  ;  he  never  do  holler." 

"  H — sh  ! "  came  from  several,  as  the  direction  of  the 


"old  coclutch  an' de  boys!"  125 

chase  suddenly  changed^  and  the  pack,  one — two — five — 
ten — twenty,  all  white,  and  in  full  cry,  emerged  from  the 
shade  of  the  forest,  and  bore  directly  down  upon  the  gin- 
house.  Peter  Dillard  got  his  "  yawger ''  ready,  as  did  the 
other  party  his  "  hoss  pistol,'^  while  the  rest  of  them  felt 
about  the  grounds  for  sticks  and  stones.  But  when  the 
hounds  got  within  a  hundred  feet  of  the  gin-house,  the 
pack  divided,  and  commenced  running  around  the  build- 
ing, leaping  over  and  running  against  each  other  in  their 
eager  and  mad  haste. 

"  What  in  the  h — 11  does  it  mean  ?  "  ejaculated  Whee- 
less,  much  excited. 

Before  a  word  could  be  spoken  in  reply,  the  clear  blast 
of  a  horn  was  heard,  and  two  horsemen  in  white  attire 
dashed  from  the  darkness  of  the  forest  straight  in  the 
direction  of  the  gin-house. 

"Old  Coclutch  an'  de  bovs!"  shrieked  Peter  Dillard, 
firing  his  "  yawger ''  and  making  a  spring  in  the  direction 
of  the  swamps,  but  finding  himself  the  last  to  clear  the 
gin-house.  Fox  at  the  same  instant  commenced  firing 
rapidly,  and  the  frightened  fugitives  beheld  in  that  direc- 
tion, six  other  horsemen  bearing  down  on  them  from  three 
different  points  of  the  compass. 

"  Keep  together,  men  ! "  shouted  Wheeless  in  a  loud, 
commanding  voice.  "Follow  me,  and  let  us  meet  the 
first  two  !"  he  added,  while  he  sprang  in  that  direction 
with  a  gleaming  bowie  knife  in  his  hand ;  but  followed 
only  by  Purst  and  Peter  Dillard. 

A  shrill  whistle  was  sounded,  and  the  single  exclama- 
tion, "  KuMos  ! ''  was  shouted,  as  the  two  horsemen  dashed 
upon  the  three  fugitives  ;  who,  turning  at  bay,  prepared 
to  receive  the  charge.  Dillard  clubbed  his  "  yawger,''  and 
Wheeless   held   aloft   the   bowie   knife,  which    gleamed 


126  THE   FIKST   KUKLUX   OUTRAGE. 

wickedly  in  the  bright  light  of  the  moon ;  but  the  horse- 
men, noticing  that  the  three  were  huddled  together  too 
closely  for  elFective  work  reined  their  steeds  close  together 
without  checking  their  speed,  and,  knee  to  knee,  dashed 
headlong  over  the  group,  felling  Dillard  as  they  passed, 
by  a  vigorous  blow  from  the  loaded  end  of  a  heavy 
riding-whip,  and  hurling  the  other  two  to  the  earth  by 
the  force  of  contact  with  their  horses.  In  a  moment  the 
white  men  were  on  their  feet  again,  and  running  in  oppo- 
site directions  ;  but  the  horsemen,  wheeling  quickly,  bore 
down  on  them  singly. 

Purst,  seeing  that  there  was  no  hope  of  escape,  threw 
up  his  hands  and  surrendered  ;  but  Wheeless,  turning 
upon  his  pursuer,  prepared  to  spring  aside  as  he  charged, 
and  to  deal  a  telling  blow  with  the  knife,  as  he  passed. 
Just  as  Wheeless  made  his  spring  and  blow,  however,  the 
rider  threw  his  horse  upon  his  haunches,  stopping  him 
instantly ;  and  before  Wheeless  could  recover  from  the 
momentum  given  to  his  body  by  the  force  he  had  hurled 
against  the  unresisting  air,  the  horseman  threw  himself 
upon  him,  bearing  him  to  the  earth  in  a  half-stunned  con- 
dition ;  and  before  he  was  fully  aware  of  the  cause  of  the 
quick  and  vigorous  handling  to  which  he  was  being  sub- 
jected, a  pair  of  "  bracelets  "  manacled  his  wrists. 

All  the  foregoing  occupied  but  a  few  moments  of  time ; 
indeed,  the  struggle  was  over  before  the  other  six  horse- 
men, who  had  instantly  responded  to  the  cabalistic  call, 
could  come  up  to  give  assistance.  The  negro,  who  had 
now  partially  recovered  from  the  eifects  of  the  blow  given 
him,  was  securely  tied  upon  the  back  of  a  stout  horse,  and 
marched  away,  with  a  guard  on  either  side,  in  the  direction 
of  the  "  Barrens ; ''  while  his  fellow  dupes,  whom  no 
eflPort  was  made  to  arrest,  had  scattered  in  every  direction. 


"neither  fools  nor  cowards."  129 

and  could  be  heard  splashing  through  the  shallow  pools 
of  the  swamp,  or  "  fording  "  through  deep  accumulations 
of  leaves  in  the  forest,  Avith  the  occasional  yelp  of  a 
demoralized  hound,  giving  wings  to  their  speed.  The 
two  white  men  were  marched  off  in  a  direction  exactly 
opposite  to  that  taken  by  Peter  Dillard  and  his  guards ; 
and  after  going  about  a  mile,  two  horses  were  found 
hitched  in  the  woods,  upon  which  they  were  hurriedly 
mounted,  and  after  more  than  an  hour  of  rapid  riding,  they 
were  halted  in  a  forest,  whose  foliage  was  so  dense,  as 
hardly  to  allow  a  ray  of  the  meridian  moon  to  reach  the 
earth,  and  through  whose  silent  depths  came  gentle  mur- 
murs as  of  a  mighty  river,  not  far  distant.  Here  all  dis- 
mounted ;  and,  the  horses  having  been  tied,  the  two  unfor- 
tunates were  placed  side  by  side,  and  one  who  seemed  to 
be  the  leader,  addressed  them  by  name : 

"  Charles  L.  Wheeless  and  William  A.  Purst,  forty- 
eio^ht  hours  ago  vou  were  arraigned  before  the  Grand 
Cyclops,  of  the  Lost  Clan  of  Cocletz,  and  tried  on  a  charge  of 
conspiracy  and  sedition.  After  a  fair  trial,  in  which  you 
were  represented  by  counsel  appointed  for  your  defence, 
you  were  adjudged  guilty  of  the  charge,  and  sentenced  to 
be  Lynched.  The  order  of  that  august  coiui:  is  now  about 
to  be  executed.  If  you  have  anything  to  say  in  your 
own  behalf,  we  will  hear  you ;  and  if  you  can  satisfy  us 
that  you  are  but  blind  tools,  in  the  hands  of  cowardly 
wretches,  worse  than  yourselves,  we  have  authority  to 
lessen  the  severity  of  your  punishment.     Speak  ! " 

"  We  are  neither  fools  nor  cowards,  sir,'^  said  Wheeless, 
defiantly,  "  and  have  no  confessions  to  make.  If  you  have 
determined  to  carry  your  lawless  instincts  to  the  extent  of 
committing  murder,  we  only  ask  to  be  shot  to  death  as 
honorable  men,  and  not  hanged  like  dogs." 


130  THE   FIRST   KUKLUX   OUTRAGE. 

"  AYe  know  not,"  replied  the  leader,  "  Avhat  may  be 
your  definition  of  the  term  ^  honorable  men  \  but  it  is 
evident  that  you  do  not  define  the  word  ^  Lynched '  as  we 
do.  In  your  land  of  extremes  it  means  to  be  hanged*  or 
shot,  wilhout  judge  or  jury;  but  in  the  South  it  means 
the  punishment  which  gallant  old  Charles  Lynch  inflicted 
on  obstreperous  Tories  during  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 
That  punishment  is  'three  dozen  and  three  lashes  upon 
the  bare  back.' " 

"  Lashes  ! "  shouted  Wheeless  ;  "  lashes  upon  the  backs 
of  free-born  citizens  of  America  !  You  can  stab  me  to 
the  heart,  sir,  but lashes  upon  the  backs  of  gentle- 
men !     Where,  sir,  is  your  boasted  civilization  ?  " 

"  Ah  !  my  friend,"  rejoined  the  leader,  with  a  touch  of 
sadness  in  his  tone,  "  you  have  not  heard  me  apply  that 
epithet  to  our  people.  Civilization  !  You  are  civilized, 
— you  and  John  Brown  and  others  who  come  here  to  in- 
cite an  inferior,  and  by  nature  a  savage  race,  to  burn  our 
homes  and  murder  our  helpless  ones  ; — you,  and  those  who 
send  you  here,  and  back  you  with  money  and  philan- 
thropy— you,  I  say,  are  civilized  !  We  prefer  f o  be  called 
gentle  savages.  "Ghouls,'^  he  added,  turning  to  his 
men,  "  do  your  duty  !" 

The  two  misguided  men  submitted,  with  Spartan  firm- 
ness, to  the  extreme  penalty  of  that  "  law"  to  which  an  ad- 
miring people  gave  the  name  of  its  originator,  gallant  old 
Charles  Lynch,  of  Campbell,  then  a  part  of  Bedford 
county,  in  Virginia.  During  the  dark  days  of  the  Revo- 
lution— Virginia's  7'eal  rebellion — Col.  Lynch  commanded 
a  battalion  of  scouts  composed  of  as  recklessly  daring  a 
body  of  men  as  ever  shouted  the  "  Rebel  yell "  into  the 
ears  of  a  terrified  foe.  The  command,  being  an  independ- 
ent one,  was  often  divided  into  companies,  or  even  sub- 


"origin  of  lynch  law."  1.31 

divided  into  platoons  and  squads,  for  special  service  in  all 
parts  of  Virginia,  and  frequently  down  in  the  Carolinas ; 
and  woe  to  the  marauder  or  Tory  who  fell  into  their 
hands  !  He  was  taken  to  headquarters  at  the  Lynch 
Mansion,  and  after  being  tried  by  tlie  "  court,"  composed 
of  Col.  Lynch  as  judge,  Capt.  Robert  Adams  as  com- 
monwealth's attorney,  and  Capt.  Thomas  Calloway  as 
counsel  for  the  defence,  or  vice  versa,  was,  if  found  guilty, 
tied  to  a  walnut  tree  near  the  aforesaid  mansion,  and 
given  "  forty  save  one  "  stripes  upon  the  bare  back  by  a 
''  high  private "  of  the  command,  and  made  to  shout 
"  Liberty  forever  ! "  This  famous  old  mansion  was  burnt 
a  few  years  ago,  but  a  handsomer  one  now  stands  in  its 
place ;  and  the  old  walnut,  gnarled  and  ancient,  with  its 
top  torn  away  by  the  blasts  of  more  than  a  hundred  win- 
ters, is  still  standing,  and  may  be  seen  near  the  left  bank 
of  the  Staunton,  which  is  there  the  local  name  for  the 
Roanoke  river.* 

*The  success  of  the  British  arms  in  the  vear  1780  caused  a  con- 
spiracy  on  the  part  of  many  Scotch  settlers  living  along  the  base  of 
the  Blue  Ridge  mouniains,  in  Virginia,  and  they  actually  attempted 
to  levy  war  against  the  Commonwealth.  This  conspiracy  was  crushed 
by  the  gentlemen  above  named,  who  were  brotliers-in-law,  and  men 
of  wealth  and  influence ;  yet  the  most  severe  punishment  inflicted  Iby 
them  was  stripes.  They  received  the  active  co-operation  of  Col.  Wm. 
Preston,  another  gentleman  of  great  influence,  and  after  the  Revolu- 
tion it  became  necessary  for  the  Virginia  Legislature,  by  special 
enactment,  to  protect  these  gentlemen  from  civil  suits  for  having  taken 
the  law  into  their  own  hands.  (See  Hanning's  Statutes-at-Large,  Vol. 
XL  pp.  134-5.)  The  gallant  Gen.  James  Bearing,  who  fell  near  Appo- 
mattox, and  his  sisters,  Mrs.  Ward  and  Mrs.  Faunthroy,  in  Campbell 
county,  Virginia,  are  descendants  of  Col.  Lynch.  The  latter  lady 
resides  on  the  site  of  the  old  LjTicli  mansion.  Col.  Henry  W.  and 
Dr.  W.  T.  Adams,  on  Staunton  River,  in  Campbell  and  Pittsylvania 
counties,  are  descendants  of  Capt.  Robert  Adams,  and  Capt.  Thgmas 
Calloway  has  numerous  descendants  in  Beaford  and  Campbell  coun- 


132  THE   FIRST   KUKLUX   OUTRAGE. 

The  two  misguided  men,  being  again  invested  with 
their  clothing,  were  conducted  on  foot  to  the  margin  of 
the  Tennessee  river,  near  by ;  and  having  professed  to  be 
supplied  with  sufficient  means  to  defray  their  expenses 
homeward,  were  put  into  a  dugout  canoe  which  had  evi- 
dently been  brought  to  this  lonely  spot  for  that  purpose. 
After  being  solemnly  warned  that  if  ever  again  seen  in 
Alabama,  they  would  be  lynched  according  to  the  North- 
ern understanding  of  that  w^ord,  they  were  pushed  out 
into  the  current,  and  sent  adrift  with  the  parting  valedic- 
tion, "  bon  voyage  V^  to  which  Wheeless,  as  he  plied  the 
paddle  vigorously,  shouted  back  : 

'^I  go  now  in  weakness,  Wt  shall  come  again  in 
strength.  You  have  taken  the  blood  of  my  back ;  I 
shall  take  the  blood  of  your  hearts.  All  of  your  names 
shall  be  revealed  to  me,  and  all  the  powers  of  hell  shall 
not  save  you,  nor  any  of  yours,  from  my  just  vengeance." 

"  Ah  ! "  said  one  of  the  party,  musingly,  as  if  speaking 
to  the  gently  whispering  waters,  '^  that  is  no  idle,  boastful 
threat !  Wandering  Jew  turned  Puritan ;  we  have  named 
thee  Carpet-bagger  !     But  thy  name  also  is  Legion  ! " 

ties.    The  patriots,  in  that  section  in  those  distant  days,  had  a  song, 
the  refrain  of  which  was : 

"  Huzza  for  Captain  Bob,  Colonel  Lynch  and  Calloway ; 

They  never  let  a  Tory  ofl'  until  he  shouts  out  '  Liberty ! ' " 


CHAPTEE  IX. 
A  PuBiTAN  Slaveholder. 

"  When  two  know  it,  how  can  it  be  a  secret  f" 

— Marston's  Fawn. 

"  When  I  ivas  blind,  my  son,  I  did  miscall 
My  sordid  vice  of  avai^e,  true  thrift." 

— May's  Old  Couple. 

MR.  FRED  DEADERICK,  of  whom  the  reader  has 
already  heard  a  good  deal,  sat  in  an  easy  chair  in 
his  library,  a  few  days  after  the  occurrences  narrated  in 
the  last  chapter,  reading,  with  intense  interest,  a  letter 
which  he  had  just  received,  bearing  the  post-mark,  "  New 
Orleans,  La.''  His  surroundings  were  unique,  if  not 
elegant.  Heavy  curtains  of  Spanish  hemp  and  silk,  in 
elegant  brocatello  designs,  shaded  the  windows ;  every  foot 
of  the  floor  was  covered  with  Turkish  rugs  of  various 
and  handsome  patterns,  and  the  furniture,  made  in  the 
antique  style,  but  brave  in  all  the  glare  of  varnish  and 
gold-leaf,  was  evidently  of  very  recent  manufacture,  and 
gave  one  a  feeling  that  in  selecting  it  a  strained  effort  had 
been  made  at  effect  and  display.  The  carving  was  too 
elaborate,  and  done  in  mahogany,  instead  of  honest  old 
oak,  and  the  upholstering  was  in  purple  plush  instead  of 
the  homely  sheep  or  calf  skin  befitting  the  style  intended 
to  be  imitated.  The  shelves  were  moderately  well  filled 
with  a  heterogeneous  collection  of  works — for  the  most 
part  very  recent  ones — in  gaudy  bindings  and  plain  muslin 
9  133 


134  A   PURITAN   SLAVEHOLDER. 

covers,  from  the  trim  encyclopaedias  down  to  the  most 
flashy  and  trashy  of  the  day,  some  of  which  latter  lay 
on  a  centre-table  of  variegated  Tennessee  marble,  on  which 
the  gentleman's  heels  were  resting,  as  he  nervously  and 
vigorously  puffed  an  odorous  "  Buenosisimo  Habana." 

As  he  bent  with  deep  interest  over  the  letter,  which  he 
was  reading  for  the  second  time  with  increasing  interest, 
he  could  not  fail  to  impress  one  as  an  unusually  fine 
sj^ecimen  of  manly  comeliness.  His  athletic  but  finely- 
proportioned  form,  his  closely-clipped  "  ambrosial  curls,'' 
and  his  silky  blonde  moustache  and  side-whiskers,  gave 
an  impression  of  a  modernized  Apollo.  But  despite  his 
comeliness  and  wealth,  and  his  possession  of  qualities  of 
mind  and  heart  which,  if  allowed  to  make  themselves 
manifest,  or  rather,  if  they  had  not  been  overshadowed 
and  smothered  by  a  ruling  passion,  could  not  have  failed 
to  make  him  a  popular  man,  he  was  still  one  of  the  most 
unpopular  men  in  the  country. 

He  had  come,  when  quite  a  youth,  from  Connecticut 
with  his  father,  who  was  at  that  time  one  of  the  moneyed 
men  in  a  firm  of  contractors  ^^'ho  had  undertaken  a 
never-to-be-finished  contract  of  vast  magnitude — that  of 
renderins:  navio^able  for  lara:e  steamers  the  Mussel  Shoals 
of  the  Tennessee  river,  below  Decatur,  Alabama,  where 
for  a  dozen  or  more  miles  that  mighty  stream  foams  and 
rages  in  alternating  cascades,  maelstroms  and  sluices,  over 
against  and  around  the  mighty  barriers  presented  to  its 
passage  by  that  remarkable  vein  of  limestone  which, 
coming  out  of  Canada  and  forming  the  Niagara  Falls, 
sweeps  down,  in  a  broad^  fertilizing  belt,  through  New 
York,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Virginia,  in  which  latter 
state  it  forms  the  Natural  Bridge,  Weir's  and  numberless 
other  caves  and  caverns,  and  separates  into  two  branches, 


"a  thrifty  ^  nigger-driyer.' "  135 

one  passing  through  and  forming  the  blue-grass  region  of 
Kentucky,  and  the  other,  a  similar  region  in  Tennessee,  to 
come  together  again  in  North  Alabama,  and  form  the  broad 
barrier  alluded  to,  and  sweep  thence  in  a  southwesterly 
direction,  to  lose  itself  in  the  great  valley  of  the  Missis- 
sippi. It  was  said  that  Mr.  Deaderick's  father  made 
more  money  by  the  final  abandonment,  on  the  part  of  the 
people,  of  the  great  undertaking,  than  he  could  possibly 
have  made  by  the  completion  of  the  contract.  His  death, 
about  the  time  that  the  aifairs  of  the  abandoned  enter- 
prise were  finally  settled  up,  left  his  son  and  only  heir, 
the  possessor  of  considerable  wealth,  a  part  of  which  was 
already  invested  in  land  and  negroes.  Being  enterprising 
and  ambitious,  the  young  man  determined  to  become  one 
of  the  largest  planters  in  the  country,  and  thus  show  his 
equality,  in  one  respect,  at  least,  with  the  lordly  planters 
whose  condescending  civility  toward  his  shrewd,  money- 
making  father  had  often  excited  the  ire  of  his  boyish 
heart.  In  pursuance  of  this  determination,  he  was  aided 
by  his  inherited  shrewdness.  Plantations  were  bought, 
agents  were  sent  to  Virginia,  North  Carolina  and  Georgia, 
to  purchase  slaves,  the  most  energetic  overseers  were 
employed,  and  the  only  demand  made  of  them  w^as  to 
excel  all  planters  in  their  respective  neighborhoods,  in  the 
number  of  bales  of  cotton  produced  per  capita.  The  one 
great  idea  to  make  immense  crops  of  cotton,  to  pay  for 
more  land  and  slaves,  to  make  more  cotton,  and  so  on,  ad 
infinitum,  seemed  to  absorb  every  instinct  of  his  being, 
and  yet  he  honestly  believed  the  better  people  of  the 
country  were  "  down  on  ^^  him  only  because  he  was  not 
^^  native  and  to  the  manner  born,"  and  came  from  the 
wrong  side  of  the  old  Mason  and  Dixon^s  line.  But  why 
the  negroes  should  evince  less  respect  for  him  than  for  his 


136  A  PURITAN  SLAVEHOLDER. 

overseers,  who,  it  must  be  admitted,  sometimes  wielded 
the  lash,  but  always  in  violation  of  his  orders,  was  more 
than  he  could  comprehend.  Perhaps  had  he  been  at  "  The 
Oaks'  "  quarters  and  heard  Mammy's  remonstrance  with 
her  son  Henry,  when  that  worthy  first  asked  the  old 
woman's  consent  to  his  marriage  with  one  of  the  belles 
of  the  Deaderick  home  plantation,  he  might  have 
exercised  one  of  the  predominant  faculties  peculiar  to  his 
native  section  and  have  made  a  shrewd  "guess." 

"  What !  "  said  the  aristocratic  human  exotic,  "  Marry 
one  o'  dem  Deaderick'  niggers?  I's  sprised  at  you, 
Henry,  dat  I  is !  You  a  Anderson-Styode,  an'  your 
great-gi'eat  gran'  daddy  befo'  you  a  Anderson,  dat  never 
was  bought  and  sold  in  his  born  days,  an'  used  to  belong 
to  Mars'  Kurnel  Anderson,  dat  fit  in  de  Resolutionary 
war,  an'  whipped  dat  ole  Britisher  Tarleton,  an'  got  his 
camp,  an'  took  his  fiddle  'way  from  'im,  what  de  young 
marster  has  got  in  de  big  house  yonder  dis  blessed  minute 
— you  talk  'bout  marryin'  one  o'  dem  ornery  niggers  ! 
Bless  de  Lawd,  you's  a  disgrace  to  your  fetchin'-up  !  " 

"  Humph  !"  ejeeiilated  the  enamored  negro.  "  What  ole 
Mars'  Kurnel  Anderson  done  a  thousan'  years  ago  ain't  doin' 
me  no  good  !  For  all  you  know,  Liza  Jane's  way-back- 
yonder  gran'  daddy's  ole  marster  might  o'  fit  Jules  Seezer, 
an'  got  his  camp,  an'  took  his  banjer  'way  from  him ! 
I  don't  find  fault  wdth  Liza  Jane  for  belongin'  to  Mars' 
Fred  Deaderick." 

"  No ;  poor  creetur,  she  couldn't  help  It ;  but  ef  her 
mammy,  ef  she  had  one,  had  o'  got  de  lawyers  to  write  to 
de  ars-in-law  up  to  Ohio,  dey  w^ouldn't  'lowed  her  to  be 
sold  oiF  from  de  balance  of  her  folks,  an'  to  a  Yankee, 
too.  Bless  de  Lawd,  don't  I  know  quality  folks  an' 
don't  I  know  dev  wouldn't  ?  " 


"richness  don't  make  quality."  137 

"  How  you  know  dey  is  quality  folks  up  to  Ohio  ?"" 

"  How  I  know  ?  Wa'nt  dey  kin  to  dat  Liza  Jane's 
ole  marster ;  an'  wan't  he  bred  an'  born  in  Ole  Ferginny  ? 
Humph  ! " 

"  Mars'  Fred  Deaderick  is  rich  es  anybody  you  know ; 
,  an'  can't  quality  folks  be  bred  an'  born  no  whar  but  in 
Ole  Ferginny?" 

"  Dey  may  be,  but  I  has  my  doubts ;  anyhow,  de  fust 
startin'  of  'em  is  in  Ole  Ferginny,  or  mighty  nigh  'bout 
dar.  Es  for  richness,  dat  don't  make  quality.  It's  fam- 
bly,  nigger;  an'  I  wouldn't  give  de  young  marster's 
little  finger  nail  for  dat  whole  Deaderick  an'  his  w^hole  seed, 
breed  an'  generation,  whatever  dey  is." 

"  I'd  like  to  know  what  you's  got  agin  Mars'  Fred  Dead- 
erick," grumbled  the  son,  sullenly. 

"Got  agin  him!"  exclaimed  the  old  woman,  angrily. 
"  He  might  weed  his  own  roAV,  'dout  any  'sturbance  from 
me,  ef  you  didn't  want  to  marry  dat  gal.  But  ain't  he 
one  o'  dem  outlandish  folks  from  'way  up  in  Novy 
Scoshy — one  o'  dem  stingy  Yankees  dat  never  had  a 
nigger  to  his  back  till  he  come  here*  and  bought  'em  ? 
An'  now  dat  he's  got  'em,  does  he  know  how  to  treat 
'em  ?  When  dey  cuts  up  and,  an'  fites,  an'  steals,  as  some 
of  'em  is  always  doin',  instead  of  havin'  'em  hit  nine  an' 
thirty,  like  a  gentleman,  an'  bein'  done  w^id  it,  he  says 
dat  is  barb'ous  an'  den  does  what's  a  heap  barb'ouser — 
locks  'em  up  all  night  by  demselves  wid  nothin'  to  eat; 
cuts  off  der  rashins  to  a  scant  half  'loAvance ;  'fuses  to 
give  'em  good  clo's,  an'  blankets,  an'  socks,  an'  no  boots 
in  de  winter,  only  shoes ;  won't  'low  tother  niggers  to 
speak  to  'em ;  writes  ^  rogue '  an'  sich  on  dar  backs,  an' 
makes  'em  go  roun'  disgracin'  demselves  an  him,  too ! 
Don't  talk  to  me  about  marryin'  none  o'  his  niggers  an' 


138  A   PURITAN   SLAVEHOLDER. 

you  a  Anderson-Styode,  an'  none  o'  your  kinfolks  never 
had  no  disgrace  put  on  'em  since  de  worP  was  made. 
Bless  de  Lord,  I'd  rather  see  you  laid  in  de  cold  ground  ! 
So  dar  !     You  done  hear  my  racket  ! " 

This  was  the  old  woman's  way  of  '^  putting  her  foot 
down/'  and  meant  that  one  had  as  well  be  "  calling  coo- 
sheep  to  the  moon  "  as  to  continue  the  argument.  But 
Henry  carried  his  point,  nevertheless,  by  getting  the 
young  master  to  promise  to  make  the  '^  muggins  nigger  " 
an  aristocratic  ^^  Anderson-Sty  ode  "  by  purchase,  should  the 
opportunity  ever  occur,  in  addition  to  what  good  old  Parson 
Elliott  should  eifect  by  means  of  the  marriage  ceremony. 

When  Mr.  Deaderick  had  finished  reading  his  letter 
very  carefully  for  the  second  time,  he  thrcAV  himself  back 
in  his  chair  with  a  long,  low  whistle,  which  indicated  a  mix- 
ture of  emotions,  the  chief  of  which  was  astonishment ;  and, 
half  turning,  so  as  to  get  a  view  of  his  handsome  person 
in  a  large  French-plate  mirror,  he  addressed  the  image  of 
himself : 

^^  Well,  Fred,  my  boy,  this  beats  the  beater  and  tumbles 
down  old  and,  you  must  admit,  rather  scurvy  plans,  to 
set  up  new  and  magnificent  ones.  Who  could  have  ima- 
gined such  a  possibility !  Ah  !  my  boy,  if  you  are  only 
half  so  sharp  as  you  think  yourself,  you  can  make  a  ten 
strike  that  will  not  only  pay  for  any  loss  you  may  sustain 
through  the  hasty  sale  of  your  niggers,  but  will  pay  for 
every  cursed  one  of  them  twice  over,  even  if  you  should 
hold  on  to  them  and  let  them  be  freed  on  your  hands,  as 
they  would  be,  law  or  no  law,  war  or  no  war !  Let's 
see  ;  you've  sold  about  thirty  from  this  place  and  can  sell 
the  wife  of  that  crippled  rascal  Henry  and  her  brother, 
too,  to  Stewart.  By  the  by,  you  can  put  ^a  wheel 
within  a  wheel '  there.     You're  not  getting  enough  for 


"amalgamation  desirable."  139 

the  whelps,  but  these  devils  pretend  to  have  awfully 
humane  feelings,  and  will  not  buy  a  nigger  they  want 
unless  they  have  money  enough  to  take  the  ^^hole  family. 
We'll  not  bother  much  longer,  but  will  take  the  balance 
— let's  see,  on  all  the  places  about  two  hundred — down  to 
New  Orleans,  and  once  there  we'll  see  that  they  forget 
they  have  kinfolks  and  didn't  spring,  like  Typhon  of  old, 
directly  from  the  earth.  And  then  we'll  see  about  this 
other  matter.  Half  a  million  in  real  estate  in  the  very 
heart  of  such  a  city  as  New  Orleans  isn't  picked  up  every 
day,  Fred,  my  boy  !  You'd  be  the  biggest  fool  among 
the  descendants  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  to  let  such  a 
chance  slip  when  you  can  have  the  whole  game  in  your 
own  hands.  Besides,  there  isn't  a  handsomer  girl,  North 
or  South,  free  or  slave,  nor  one  more  modest  and  refined 
than  that  little,  black-eyed  French  devil.  No ;  you 
needn't  except  Florence  Seymour,  nor  that  pretty  little 
school  girl,  Mollie  Dillard.  You  always  did  have  a 
sort  of  penchant  for  that  little  French  imp,  and  who  cares 
if  a  very  small  proportion  of  her  blood  is  derived  from 
the  negro  race  ?  Haven't  some  of  our  foremost  thinkers 
— men  and  women  whose  every  thought  is  an  inspiration 
— always  claimed  that  our  Puritan  blood  is  a  little  too 
blue,  and  .  needs  a  liberal  admixture  of  a  warmer  and 
richer  strain ;  and  haven't  they,  wdth  singular  unan- 
imity, pointed  to  the  negro  as  furnishing  that  strain? 
Have  our  Susan  B.  Anthonys,  Lucy  Stones,  Elizabeth 
Cady  Stantons',  Wm.  Lloyd  Grarrisons,  Wendell  Phil- 
lipses,  Thad.  Stevenses,  and  hosts  of  others,  lived  in  vain  ? 
No,  indeed !  And  half  a  million,  whether  the  strain  be 
richer  or  what  not,  turns  the  scales.  So,  good-bye.  Miss 
Florence  Seymour,  you  haughty,  little  puss  of  a  renegade 
Puritan  !     You  shall  turn  up  that  pretty  nose  no  more 


140  •         A   PURITA^^  SLAVEHOLDER. 

at  Fred  Deaderick,  Esquire.  But  you  shall  not  marry  that 
devil,  Stewart,  for  all  that.  Trust  me  for  having  a  hand 
in  shaping  your  destiny,  and  in  ^  rough-hewing  its  ends  ' 
pretty  lively,  too,  whether  you  wall  or  no.  As  for  the 
niggers,  I'll  write  to  New  Orleans  to  Zeke  Goodrich — 
good  Puritan  name — to  come  up  and  help  me  off  with 
them  to  his  city,  and  then,  after  sleeping  on  my  plans, 
ni  go  to  see  that  ^Ogre  of  The  Oaks'  for  a  trade." 

While  Mr.  Deaderick  is  writing  his  letters,  we  will 
inform  the  reader  that  he  received  the  one  which  aston- 
ished and  interested  him  so  greatly  from  a  young  lawyer 
in  New  Orleans.  He  had  suspected  that  Mr.  Stewart,  or 
some  of  his  people,  knew  more  about  an  indignity  put 
upon  himself  by  a  crowd  of  reckless  young  fellows,  play- 
ing the  role  of  materialized  spirits,  in  consequence  of  a 
feature  in  his  system  of  dealing  with  his  negroes,  of  which 
they  did  not  approve,  than  they  cared  to  make  public, 
and  had  finally  ascertained,  through  a  chain  of  circum- 
stantial evidence,  that  Fox  was  the  leader  of  the  gang. 
He  had  no  sooner  gained  this  information  than  he  was 
determined  to  be  avenged.  There  were  three  courses  open 
to  him ;  to  hold  the  master  responsible,  appeal  to  the  law 
or  give  the  slave  a  "white  man's  chance"  in  a  bout  at 
fisticuffs ;  for  the  slave,  as  a  rule,  was  not  permitted  to 
appeal  to  the  code  of  honor,  that  "  barbarous  code"  which, 
whatever  else  may  be  said  of  it,  puts  the  gentleman,  who 
has  cultivated  his  intellect  chiefly,  on  an  equal  footing 
w^ith  the  bully  whose  only  care  has  been  to  develop  his 
muscle.  As  he  knew  the  adopting  of  the  first  course 
would  be  attended  with  very  serious  consequences,  and  the 
other  two  would  make  him  the  butt  of  ridicule,  at  the 
very  least,  he  determined  to  '^bide  his  time."  He  had 
always  doubted  if  Fox  and  his  sister  were  really  what 


"not  dull  of  comprehension."  '         141 

they  claimed,  and  were  believed  to  be ;  and  he  determined 
to  spend  a  little  money  to  possess  himself  of  all  facts 
concerning  them,  half  suspecting  that  they  were  persons 
of  some  consequence,  hiding  away  under  the  aegis  of 
assumed  slavery  on  account  of  some  evil  deed  of  the 
former.  So  he  had  offered  the  young  lawyer,  from  whom  he 
had  just  heard,  a  very  liberal  reward  for  such  informa- 
tion as  he  could  obtain,  without  exciting  attention  or 
inquiry  on  the  part  of  relatives  or  friends,  should  they 
have  either  in  that  city. 

Having  finished  his  letter  he  sounded  a  bell,  and  said 
to  the  servant,  who  appeared  almost  instantly  : 

"  Mount  my  horse,  now  standing  at  the  gate,  and  take 
this  letter  to  the  office ;  and,  I  say,"  he  called,  as  the  ser- 
vant started  on  the  errand,  ^^you  know  there  has  been 
some  talk  amongst  you  niggers  of  a  prank  played,  as  is 
supposed,  by  Fox,  or  Mr.  D'Elfons,  on  a  certain  gentleman. 
Now,  I  want  you  all  to  knoAv  that  if  such  a  thing  ever 
occurred  at  all,  the  gentleman  who  is  supposed  to  have 
played  the  prank,  Mr.  D'Elfons,  had  nothing  to  do  with 
it.  And  if  I  ever  hear  of  any  of  you  connecting  his 
name,  or  any  one's  name,  with  that  affair,  or  any  affair 
like  it,  I'll  make  you  think  the  day  of  judgment  has  come  ! 
Do  you  hear  ?     Do  you  understand  ?     Now  go  ! " 

As  the  negro  left  the  house,  with  a  full  grin  illumi- 
nating his  countenance,  he  chuckled  to  himself : 

^'  It's  cur'ous  dat  dese  white  folks  dat  ain't  been  fetched 
up  wid  niggers  always  thinks  dey  can't  hear  nothin',  an' 
can't  understand  nothin',  an'  is  'ternally  bellerin'  at  'em, 
*Does  you  hear  dis?'  an'  ^Does  you  understan'  dat?'  an' 
all  de  time  dey's  'feared  you'll  understan'  too  much.  I 
undei'stans  one  thing ;  dat  man  is  'feard  Fox  is  gwine  to 
duck  'im  in  de  creek  agin;  yah !  yah  !'' 


142  '  A   PURITAN   SLAVEHOLDER. 

The  next  morning,  after  a  late  breakfast,  Mr.  Deaderick 
rode  over  to  "  The  Oaks/^  and  after  having  been  in  the 
parlor  with  j\Ir.  Stewart  for  less  than  half  an  hour,  he  left 
the  house,  looking  angry  and  red  in  the  face,  and  gal- 
loped furiously  away. 

An  hour  afterward,  when  Fox  came  in,  Mr.  Stewart 
remarked  to  him : 

"Fox,  Deaderick  has  been  here  on  a  strange  errand 
this  morning.'^ 

"  He  doesn't  want  me  to  join  another  Red  String  Gang, 
does  he?"  said  Fox,  with  a  laugh. 

"I  think  it  more  likely  that  he  wishes  to  put  you  into 
some  chain  gang.  Hold  on  to  your  temper  now,  I  am 
going  to  tell  you  a  startling  fact.     He  wishes  to  buy  you.'' 

"  The  whelp  ! "  ejaculated  Fox,  with  a  laugh,  making  a 
motion  with  his  hands  as  if  wringing  the  neck  of  an  animal. 

"Yes,"  said  Mr.  Stewart,  laughing  at  Fox's  gestures, 
"  and  I  will  not  tell  you  the  rest,  for  fear  you  will  put 
your  pantomimic  threat  into  actual  execution." 

"  Do  you  think  he  suspects  that  I  betrayed — but  no, 
none  of  the  negroes  suspect  me,  and  he  does  not  know 
that  Purst  betrayed  him  to  me,  or  that  any  one  suspects 
liim  of  having  had  any  knowledge  of  the  conspiracy  of 
the  Red  String  Gang."  ' 

"  No ;  nothing  wrong  there.  He  spoke  of  you  in  the 
very  highest  terms,  and  I  really  believe  does  not  wish  to 
work  any  evil  on  you,  pei-sonally,  if  he  could  carry  out 
his  designs.  He  says  he  Avill  not  sell  Henry's  wife  for 
money,  he  wishes  to  trade  her  and  her  brother,  and  will 
throw  in  half  a  dozen  others  for  good  measure,  and  that 
he  shall  take  them  to  New  Orleans.  We  must  see  about 
that  after  he  has  had  time  to  get  over  his  disappointment 
and  anger." 


CHAPTER  X. 

Mars,  Terpsichore  and  Cupid. 

'^'Ti.s  when  the  rose  is  wrapped  in  many  a  fold 
Close  to  its  heart,  the  worm  is  wasting  there 
Its  life  and.  heautyT — Carlos  Wilcox. 

"  Therms  no  way  to  make  sorrow  light 
But  in  the  noble  hearing^ — AV.  Koavley. 

THE  people  of  the  neighborhoods  around  Beaver  Lake 
were  all  astir  on  the  lovely  morning  appointed  for 
the  "  last  pic-nic  ; "  the  last,  because  on  the  morrow  the 
company  which  has  been  formed  with  Mr.  Howard,  as 
captain,  and  young  Flour noy,  as  first  lieutenant,  and  to 
which  all  the  society  young  men,  of  the  surrounding 
country,  with  very  few  exceptions,  belonged,  was  to  take 
the  cars  for  ^^  The  seat  of  w^ar  in  Virginia.''  Ah  !  what 
a  solemn  meaning  had  those  words  for  the  timid  maiden, 
who,  on  this  day,  perhaps  for  the  last  time  upon  earth, 
will  look  with  eyes  that  smile,  while  the  heart  weeps,  upon 
the  manly  form  of  him  whose  soul  has  held  sweet  con- 
verse with  her  own  ! — for  the  doting  mother,  who,  to-day, 
will  lightly  banter  her  darling  boy  while  her  thoughts 
brood  in  agony  over  a  picture  of  his  loved  form  lying 
stark  upon  the  field  of  death,  with  his  lusterless  young 
eyes  fixed  in  a  stony  gaze  upon  the  blue  vault  of  heaven. 
Ah  !  maiden ;  ah  !  mother,  vain  are  the  prayers  of  your 
souls  that  the  bitter  cup  of  war  may  not  be  ]3ressed  to  the 
lips  of  your  beloved  South,  and  that  the  besom  of  destruc- 

143 


144  MARS,  TERPSICHORE   AND   CUPID. 

tion  and  death  may  not  be  permitted  to  sweep  her  lovely 
plains  and  happy  homes  !  The  hand  of  Fate  is  preparing 
to  sow  ashes  over  the  pleasant  places  in  your  memories  ! 
But  despair  not,  for  God  doeth  all  things  well !  "  Whom 
He  loveth  He  chasteneth/' 

Extensive  preparations  had  been  made  at  the  pic-nic 
grounds,  on  the  margin  of  the  little  lake,  whose  calm, 
pellucid  Avaters  reflected  the  beautiful  surroundings  with 
such  accuracy  and  distinctness  as  to  give  one  a  fancy  that 
it  might  be  the  entrepot  of  an  antipodal  land  of  fairy 
beauty  and  brightness,  at  which  had  been  collected  all  that 
is  most  beautiful  and  charming  in  nature.  In  the  centre 
of  an  irregular  circle  of  beech,  sycamore  and  sweet-gum 
trees,  whose  tangled  and  contorted  roots,  on  the  side  next 
the  lake,  dipped  themselves  into  the  liquid  mirror,  stood 
an  ample  platform  on  which  the  votaries  of  Terpsichore 
were  expected  to  do  sacrifice  to  that  merry  mistress  of  the 
cithern  ;  and  here  and  there,  in  every  secluded  or  romantic 
spot,  were  scattered  "  lover's  seats,"  so  called,  perhaps, 
because  not  sufficiently  large  to  admit  of  occupancy  by 
more  than  two  persons  at  a  time. 

At  an  early  hour  in  the  forenoon  the  guests  commenced 
to  arrive.  The  cold  and  stiff  formality  of  that  phase  of 
society  which  moves  and  exists  only  to  obey  the  laws  of 
prim  conventionality  had  not  impressed  the  belles  and 
beaux  of  that  happy  rural  region  with  the  solemn  fact 
that  it  is  "  not  elegant ''  to  appear  early  at  a  social 
gathering.  Before  ten  o'clock,  substantial  family  car- 
riages, elegant  phaetons  and  trim,  light  buggies  had 
begun  to  bring  in  their  freights  of  youth  and  beauty, 
while  from  every  plantation  came  spring-wagons  and 
"  Jerseys,"  laden  wdth  substantial  and  sumptuous  viands, 
which  the  happy  and  self-important  butlers  and  waiters^ 


"at  the  pic-NIC."  145 

assisted  by  coquettish  ladies^  maids  and  temporarily- 
farloughed  nurses,  immediately  distributed  upon  the  long 
parallel  tables  erected  upon  a  shady  lawn  and  covered  with 
snowy  linen. 

Before  the  hour  of  noon  arrived  merry  groups  were 
chatting  here  and  there,  and  solitary  couples  w^ere  strolling 
along  the  vistas  that  opened  among  the  scattered  and 
spreading  trees,  and  on  the  platform  a  dozen  or  more 
couples  were  gliding  to  the  plaintive  music  of  Strauss 
and  Wagner.  Gray  uniforms  were  so  numerous  as  to 
make  those  who  still  wore  citizens  attire  conspicuous. 
Among  the  latter  was  Mr.  Stewart,  whom  we  find  prome- 
nading with  one  of  the  little  cousins  who,  at  his 
instigation,  had  exacted  from  Miss  Seymour  a  promise 
to  attend. 

"  I  don't  know,  cousin,''  said  the  little  maiden,  in 
reply  to  an  enquiry.  "At  first  Dr.  Hansel  said  Miss 
Florence  could  not  come  at  all,  and  when  she  told  him 
she  had  made  me  a  positive  promise,  which  she  desired 
not  to  violate,  he  was  really  angry!  And  yesterday, 
when  the  carriage  came  for  us,  and  Miss  Florence  was 
preparing  to  accompany  us  home,  he  sent  Jane  to  say 
that  she  could  not  go  until  to-day,  although  he  well  knew, 
as  Jane  said,  that  his  coachman  is  sick  and  unable  to 
drive.  Miss  Florence  told  us  at  parting  that  she 
should  see  us  to-day,  but  I  fear  we  shall  be  disap- 
pointed." 

While  the  young  lady  was  uttering  her  forebodings, 
however,  the  subject  of  them  was  alighting  at  a  distant 
part  of  the  grounds  from  a  handsome  "  Gosling  "  buggy, 
driven  by  her  honored  step-father,  and  drawn  by  a  high- 
stepping  fast  trotter,  the  property  of  a  friend  in  Barrens- 
ville,  who  could  not  attend.    Fast  trotters  and  very  small, 


146  •       MARS,  TERPSICHORE   AND   CUPID. 

light  buggies  were,  at  tlie  time,  very  fashionable  in  that 
section.  Racing,  as  an  amusement,  which  had  always 
been  one  of  the  passions  of  the  young  gentry  of  the  South, 
was  gradually  growing  into  disrepute  in  consequence  of 
adventurers  and  professional  sj^orting  men  having  entered 
the  field  ;  and  fast  trotters,  driven  by  their  owners,  were 
taking  the  place  of  racers  ridden  by  jockeys.  And  now 
every  young  gentleman  in  North  Alabama  felt  that,  in 
order  to  be  considered  "  a  blood,''  it  was  as  necessary  for 
him  to  own  and  drive  a  fast  horse  and  a  Gosling  buggy 
as  to  grow  a  mustache.  That  description  of  "  turnout," 
however,  was  considered  as  belono-ino;  exclusivelv  to  the 
*^  young  blood  "  or  ^'  wild-oat-sower,'"  and  there  were  many 
winks  and  smiles  amono;  the  vouno^  gentlemen  who  imme- 
diately  surrounded  ]Miss  Sevmour,  as  the  dio^nified,  but 
not  very  agile,  doctor  of  divinity  felt  his  backward  way 
to  the  earth  from  the  elevated  seat  of  the  eles^ant  vehicle. 

Mr.  Flournov,  who  looked  everv  inch  a  soldier  in  his 
neat  lieutenant's  uniform,  immediately  monopolized  Miss 
Sevmour,  s^ivino-  Dr.  Hansel  to  understand  that  it  was  his 
purpose  to  relieve  him  of  all  responsibility  for  the  young 
lady's  pleasant  entertainment.  Miss  Seymom',  however, 
had  pleasant  greetings  to  respond  to  from  numerous  other 
beauties  and  tlieir  beaux  before  she  was  permitted  to  draw 
upon  ]\Ir.  Flournoy's  fund  of  entertainment,  so  that  a  full 
hour  had  passed  before  she  found  herself  seated  with  him 
in  a  romantic  spot,  at  the  foot  of  a  spreadnig  beech,  whose 
drooping  branches  almost  kissed  the  water  of  the  lake, 
where  a  curvature  of  the  shore-line  encroached  upon  the 
grove,  forming  a  secluded  miniature  bay.  Here  the  two 
engaged  in  a  lively  duel  of  words  and  wit  for  a  time,  when 
Mr.  Flournov  suddenly  exclaimed : 

"  Ha  !  here  comes  that  charming  little  !Miss  Anderson, 


"step   down,    FULTON  !''  147 

dragging  her  complaisant  cousin  away  from  the  dance.  I 
knew  she  would  find  us  out  and  not  let  me  retain  posses- 
sion of  you ;  and  I  shall  revenge  myself  by  making  love 
to  her.'' 

"  Oh,  Miss  Florence/'  exclaimed  the  young  lady,  as  she 
came  up,  with  almost  breathless  excitement,  "  I  am  going 
to  win  a  diamond  ring  from  Cousin  Charles  !  He  has  bet 
me  that  Fulton  did  not  invent  the  steamboat,  and  you  are 
the  umpire ! " 

"  I  fear  he  has  won,  dear,"  replied  Miss  Seymour,  with 
a  smile  at  the  young  lady's  excited  manner.  '^  Fulton 
certainly  did  not  invent  the  boat,  and  steam  is  not  an 
invention." 

"Oh,  Miss  Florence,  what  a  tease  !"  laughed  the  little 
maiden ;  "  I  mean,  of  course,  that  Fulton  invented  the 
method  of  applying  the  power  of  steam  to  machinery,  and 
was  the  first  to  propel  a  vessel  by  it."  • 

"  I  am  sorry  to  have  to  decide  against  you  still,"  said 
the  young  lady,  with  a  sympathizing  smile.  "  The  first 
boat  ever  propelled  by  steam  had  its  machinery  constructed, 
put  in,  and  worked  by  a  person  named  James  Rumsey ; 
and  this  was  done  twenty  years  before  Fulton  did  his 
work,  and  while  Fulton  was  yet  a  school  boy." 

"  Then  why  didn't  Rumsey  become  famous  instead  of 
Fulton  ? "  asked  the  disappointed  young  lady. 

"Simply,  because  the  world  gives  its  applause  and 
honors  only  to  final  success,  which  confers  a  substantial 
benefit  upon  the  human'  family." 

"  Oh,  then,  perhaps,  it  is  debatable.  Let  us  hear  all 
about  it  before  the  decision  against  me  is  made  final." 

"  I  see  that  I  must  tell  a  long  story  in  the  capacity  of 
umpire,"  said  Miss  Seymour,  laughing  and  resuming  her 
seat,  "to  convince  a  young  lady  who  will  not  take  a  sim- 


148  MAES,  TERPSICHORE  AND   CUPrD. 

pie  assertion  as  a  final  decision.  It  is  a  well-authenticated 
though  not  generally-known  fact,  that,  about  the  year 
1780,  a  young  man  living  in  Virginia,  at  or  near  Shep- 
herdstown,  and  employed  by  the  Potomac  Navigation 
Company,  conceived  the  idea  of  propelling  boats  by  means 
of  a  pow^r  to  be  derived  from  confined  steam.  He  com- 
menced work  on  an  engine  intended  to  test  the  practica- 
bility of  that  idea,  and  for  four  years  his  leisure  time  and 
all  the  money  he  could  command  were  devoted  to  the 
work.  He  w^as  thought  to  be  crazy  by  the  simple  coun- 
try peoj^le  around  him,  and  a  path  along  which  he  was  in 
the  habit  of  promenading,  while  trying  to  solve  the  many 
difficult  problems  which  presented  themselves  to  his  mind 
in  the  course  of  his  work  of  invention  and  construction, 
is,  to  this  day,  called  ^  crazy  Rumsey's  path.'  Despite 
the  taunts  and  jeers  of  the  thoughtless  people  around  him, 
and  the  skepticism  as  to  the  possibility  of  the  undertaking 
on  the  part  of  the  more  intelligent,  the  young  man  perse- 
vered and  finished  his  engine.  He  fitted  it  to  a  small  boat 
in  which  it  occupied  only  a  few  feet  of  space,  and  the 
boiler  had  a  capacity  for  only  five  gallons  of  water.  It 
was  imperfect,  of  course,  but  it  worked,  and  on  one  of  its 
trial  trips  no  less  a  person  than  George  Washington,  the 
father  of  his  country,  and  the  greatest  of  all  Virginians, 
was  a  passenger.  Gen.  AYashington's  mind  did  not  seem  to 
grasp  the  great  possibilities  of  the  invention,  even  when 
he  saw  himself  propelled,  in  the  rude  little  boat,  at  the 
rate  of  four  miles  an  hour  against  the  current  of  the 
Potomac ;  but  he  gave  Mr.  Rumsey  a  certificate  setting 
forth  the  novel  performance  of  his  engine.  Armed  with 
this,  and  w^ith  his  small  possessions  converted  into  cash, 
Mr.  Rumsey  took  his  model  over  to  England,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  finding  more  skilled  workmen  and  better  tools 


"steam  engine  invented  by  rumsey.'^     149 

for  the  work  than  were  to  be  had  at  that  period  in  this 
country.  All  of  this  occurred  when  Fulton  was  a  youth, 
and  nearly  twenty  years  before  he  built  his  first  engine. 
From  the  similarity  of  his  first  engine  to  the  one  which 
Rumsey  constructed  and  took  over  to  England,  it  is 
believed  that  Fulton  hunted  up  and  got  possession  of 
Rumsey's  old  engine.'^ 

"  I  see  that  I  have  lost/'  said  the  little  miss,  ruefully, 
"  but  please  tell  me  why  the  Virginian  did  not  continue 
his  work,  and  reap  his  just  reward  of  honors  and 
riches." 

"  Ah  !  that  is  a  sad  story.  Rumsey  spent  all  of  his 
money,  and  had  to  work  at  other  things  to  avoid  being 
sent  to  prison  for  debt.  The  people  in  England,  with 
whom  he  became  acquainted,  looked  upon  his  invention 
as  being  of  no  practical  worth,  and  regarded  his  model  only 
as  a  wonderfully  ingenious  toy.  Thoroughly  discouraged 
by  his  poverty,  and  by  his  failure  to  interest  some  person, 
possessed  of  means,  in  his  invention,  he  was  advised  by 
some  charitably  disposed  persons  to  deliver  a  lecture,  and 
exhibit  his  model  for  money.  Gen.  Washington's  certifi- 
cate had  secured  for  him  the  notice  of  some  very  fashion- 
able and  influential  people  in  London,  and  these,  prompted, 
no  doubt,  partly  by  a  feeling  of  charity,  advertised  the 
intended  lecture  quite  extensively  among  the  fashionable 
people  of  the  metropolis.  AYhen  the  momentous  night 
arrived,  Rumsey  felt  that  his  final  success  was  assured,  for 
his  door-keeper  took  in  more  than  a  thousand  dollars,  and 
the  hall  was  filled  with  the  wealth  and  fashion  of  the 
city.  This  unexpected  good  fortune  overcame  him.  The 
revulsion  of  feeling  was  too  great  for  his  physical  strength. 
He  arose  to  speak,  and  lifted  his  hand,  as  if  to  make  a  ges- 
ture, but  no  sound  issued  from  his  lips,  and  he  sank  into 

10 


150  MAES,  TERPSICHORE   AND   CUPID. 

a  chair.  AYeak  and  speechless,  he  was  taken  to  his  garret, 
and  within  a  few  days  died." 

"  What  a  sad,  sad  story  ! ''  exclaimed  the  young  lady, 
sobered  for  the  moment.  "Well,  Cousin  Charles,  I  have 
lost  the  diamond  and  you  have  won  the — the — Avhat  I  bet." 

"  Which  was  not  your  heart,  I  hope,"  exclaimed  Mr. 
riournoy,  "  for  I  have  designs  upon  that  myself,  and  will 
bet  you  a  diamond  against  ^  the — the — what  I  want  J  that 
you  can't  row  me  across  the  lake." 

"  But  I  don't  want  to  bet  for  valuable  things  with  gen- 
tlemen^^ replied  the  young  lady,  with  some  embarrassment. 

"  Monsh,  do  you  hear  that  ? "  exclaimed  the  young 
man,  with  a  laugh.     "  Rather  severe  on  you ;  eh  ?  " 

"  Oh,  but  he  is  my  cousin." 

"  Oh,  but  I'm  a  soldier,"  replied  Mr.  Flournoy,  mim- 
ickingly,  "  which  is,  or  should  be,  a  better  claim  ;  so  step 
into  my  bark.  Miss  Clare,  and  we  will  fancy  that,  hand  in 
hand,  we  are  floating  down  the  tide  of  time,  or  that  I  am 
old  Charon  ferrying  you  across  the  Styx,  only  you  are  to 
do  the  ferrying." 

The  banter  was  accepted,  and  soon  the  unskillfully- 
handled  oars  were  fretting  the  placid  water  of  the  lake, 
while  occasional  shouts  of  laughter  from  the  merry  couple 
awoke  the  echoes  of  the  woodland. 

Mr!  Stewart  had  desired,  above  all  things,  the  opportu- 
nity, which  he  now  had,  to  speak  with  Miss  Seymour 
alone.  He  had  determined  that  he  would  not  go  oif  to 
the  war  until  he  had  spoken  into  her  ear  the  words  of  one 
of  the  inspired,  "  Place  me  as  a  seal  upon  thy  heart  ;  for 
love  is  strong  as  death  ! "  Yet,  when  the  opportunity,  so 
long  and  earnestly  desired,  had  been  made  for  him,  he 
was  strangely  embarrassed,  and  his  thoughts  seemed  to 
revolve  around  the  subject  of  which  he  wished  to  speak 


"a  lost  opportunity/'  151 

with  such  rapidity  that  he  strove  in  vain  to  capture  a 
connected  one  and  deliver  it  in  words.  The  ready  topics 
of  the  society  man  came  naturally  to  his  lips,  and  he 
talked  to  still  the  wild  tumult  in  his  brain  ;'  but  even  the 
half-averted  face,  the  flushed  cheeks,  the  downcast  eyes, 
the  slightly-trembling  voice,  which  all  told  of  a  sympa- 
thizing tumult  in  the  heart  of  his  beloved,  failed  to  speak 
to  his  own  emotions  the  magic  words,  ^^  Peace ;  be  still/' 
But  they  were  stilled  in  a  very  prosaic  manner,  for  soon 
the  voice  of  Dr.  Hansel  came,  greeting : 

"  Ah !  Mr.  Stewart,  I  am  glad  to  have  come  across 
you  in  my  ramble.  I  have  been  hunting  some  one  who 
can  tell  me  about  those  Cocletz  spirits,  of  which  the  colored 
people  are  telling  such  terrible  tales.'' 

How  calm  was  the  young  man  then  !  He  felt  if  some 
benignant  Cocletz,  or  other  spirits,  would  only  swoop  down 
upon  the  old  gentleman  and  bear  him  in  safety  into  the 
antipodal  fairy-forest,  the  trunks  of  Avhose  trees  were 
caused  bv  the  wavelets  from  the  distant  boat  to  twist  and 
writhe  like  huge  serpents  engaged  in  a  mad  endeavor  to 
dance  the  kan-kan,  how  he  should  ever  love  them  in  the 
future,  and  how,  at  the  present  moment,  he  could  pour 
into  the  ear  of  the  loved  one  by  his  side,  a  rh\i:hm  of 
love's  soft  language,  such  as  would  cause  even  the  lute- 
hearted  Israfel  to  stand  mute  in  rapt  admiration  !  But 
his  opportunity  was  lost,  and,  feeling  that  he  was  not 
destined  to  have  another  so  favorable  very  shortly,  it  was 
w^ith  no  amiable  feeling  that  he  replied  : 

"  I  do  not  interest  mvself  in  such  idle  stories,  sir,"  but 
feeling  ashamed  of  the  spirit  which  had  prompted  the 
ungracious  reply,  he  instantly  added  ;  "  Indeed,  doctor, 
I  have  heard  little  or  nothincr  of  the  recent  antics  of  the 
'spirits,'   as  the  negroes  call  them,  and  to  give  you  a 


152  MARS,  TERPSICHORE   AND   CUPID. 

history  of  the  Cocletz  Clan  of  Indians,  whose  extinction 
furnished  the  foundation  for  the  negroes  superstitions 
respecting  them,  would  require  too  heavy  a  tax  upon 
Miss  Seymour's  time  and  patience/' 

"Oh,  no,  indeed,"  said  the  young  lady,  smiling 
sweetly  upon  her  com23anion,  "  the  mysterious  is  always 
charming  to  me.     I  should  like  much  to  hear  the  legend." 

'^And  there  is  something  very  mysterious,"  broke  in 
the  old  gentleman,  "  about  this  aifair  of  which  the  colored 
people  are  talking  so  much." 

"  What  is  their  story,  doctor  ?  "  asked  the  young  man, 
abstractedly. 

"Oh,  the  white  people  are  talking  about  it,  too,  all 
over  the  grounds ;  but  no  one  seems  to  know  much.  It 
seems  that  a  man  by  the  name  of  Peter  Dillard  was  on 
his  way,  with  some  friends,  to  visit  a  neighbor  after  dark. 
In  passing  through  a  field  they  heard  the  Cocletz  hounds 
— themselves  immaterial  spirits — and  soon  the  hounds 
and  a  number  of  the  Indian  spirits  surrounded  the  party, 
and  selecting  Peter  Dillard  from  the  others,  whom  they 
did  not  molest,  they  bore  him  off  through  the  air  upon  a 
phantom  horse,  which  arose  out  of  the  ground,  with  fiery 
eyes  and  smoking  nostrils.  They  passed  over  forests  and 
fields,  till  finally,  in  passing  a  farm  house,  a  cock  crew 
and  instantly  Dillard  fell  to  the  earth,  with  a  perfumed 
veil  enwrapping  his  head  and  face,  and  the  spirits  van- 
ished. Then  the  earth  sank  away  from  him ;  the  clouds 
came  down  and  embraced  him ;  the  zephyrs  rocked  him 
as  if  in  a  cradle,  and  little  angels  fanned  him  with  their 
wings  until  he  fell  asleep.  When  he  returned  to  con- 
sciousness, he  was  lying  near  a  forester's  cabin,  in  the 
Barrens,  and  the  sun  was  shining  in  his  face.'^ 

"  Quite  a  remarkable  story,"  laughed  the  young  man, 


"music  ox  the  lake."  153 

as  he  arose  and  offered  his  arm  to  Miss  Se\Tnour.  '^  But 
they  are  ringing  the  dinner  bell  for  us,  and  I  fear  we  are 
not  entertainino-  Miss  Seymour." 

^^On  the  contrary,"  said  the  young  lady,  taking  the 
offered  arm,  "  my  curiosity  is  greatly  excited,  and  what  I 
have  heard  prompts  me  to  exact  of  you  a  promise  to  give 
us  the  legend  of  the  Indian  tribe,  whose  spirits  Ayander 
from  the  '  happy  hunting  grounds,'  and  play  such  fantastic 
tricks  upon  mundane  mortals." 

After  dinner,  Mr.  Stewart,  seeing  that  others  did  not 
intend  for  Miss  Seymour 's  society  to  be  monopolized  by 
any  one  individual,  and  being  determined  not  to  be  dra^yn 
by  Dr.  Hansel  into  a  repetition  of  the  Cocletz  legend,  with 
only  himself  as  audience,  proposed  a  musical  entertain- 
ment, from  the  lake  upon  boats  made  into  a  pontoon  raft, 
by  means  of  lumber  from  the  tables.  All  of  the  music- 
ally inclined  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  adventure,  and 
the  merry  party,  including  Miss  Seymour,  were  floated 
over  the  bright  water  until  the  echoes  of  their  tuneful 
voices  had  been  tried,  from  every  point  of  the  lake,  and  the 
rapidly-declining  sun  had  reminded  unromantic  manmias 
on  the  shore  that  this  day,  like  all  others,  must  come  to  a 
close. 

Mr.  Stewart,  after  seeing  Miss  Seymour  seated  by  the 
side  of  her  step-father,  behind  the  spirited,  but  well-trained 
trotter,  lingered  in  conversation  with  several  military 
members  of  the  party.  Finally,  bidding  adieu  to  those 
whom  he  should  not  see  again  until  he  should  join  them 
in  Virginia,  he  left  the  grounds,  in  a  quick  canter, 
accompanied  by  Fox. 

They  had  ridden  a  mile  or  more,  Avith  Dr.  HansePs 
buggy  in  full  vie^y,  on  Ayhich  they  were  gaining,  though 
the  old  gentleman  was  driving  at  a  good  rate  of  speed, 


154  MAES/ TEKPSICHORE   AND   CUPID. 

when  tlie  buggy  entered  a  small  stream,  and  there  was  a 
pause  of  a  moment,  to  allow  the  horse  -to  slake  his  thirst. 
As  the  buggy  emerged  from  the  stream,  the  horsemen 
noticed  that  by  some  means.  Dr.  Hansel  had  lost  possession 
of  the  reins,  which  were  dragging  at  the  horse's  heels. 

Mr.  Stewart  instantly  spurred  his  horse  forward,  and 
seeing  the  old  gentleman  about  to  spring  from  the  buggy, 
shouted  to  him  to  keep  his  seat.  The  caution,  however, 
was  not  heeded,  for  the  next  moment  the  doctor  sprang 
from  the  vehicle,  with  the  evident  intention  of  going 
quickly  forward  to  seize  the  horse  by  the  bridle,  as  at  the 
moment  he  was  moving  in  a  quick,  springy  walk,  prepar- 
atory to  resuming  his  speed.  Anticipating  the  effect  of 
the  sudden  wrench  given  to  the  vehicle,  and  the  noise  of 
the  old  man's  fall  to  the  ground,  Mr.  Stewart  called  to 
the  young  lady  to  keep  her  seat,  at  all  hazards,  and  to 
refrain  from  screaming.  At  the  same  moment  he  dashed 
forward  with  the  speed  of  the  wind,  as  the  buggy  horse, 
thoroughly  frightened,  broke  into  a  gallop,  the  speed  of 
which  increased  with  every  bound.  The  young  man  saw 
in  a  moment  that  Miss  Sevmour  understood  his  caution, 
and  had  the  nerve  to  act  upon  it.  She  placed  herself  in 
the  middle  of  the  seat,  grasped  its  slender  rim  on  each 
side,  and  braced  her  feet  against  the  foot-rest.  But  his 
heart  sank  within  him  as  he  thought  of  the  rough  and 
narrow  causeway,  across  a  slough,  only  two  hundred  yards 
ahead.  He  knew  that  the  slender  wheels  would  be  crushed 
instantly  by  such  violent  contact  with  the  rough  logs 
with  which  the  causeway  was  paved,  and  that  the  only 
hope  of  saving  the  young  lady  from  serious  injury,  with 
the  chances  much  in  favor  of  a  violent  death,  lav  in 
his  ability  to  overtake  the  horse,  seize  him  by  the  bridle, 
and  turn  him  into  a  road  which  lead  out  of  the  main  one, 


'^A   TERRIBLE   ACCIDENT.  155 

just  at  the  margin  of  the  slough.  All  of  this  passed 
through  his  mind  in  an  instant,  as  he  swept,  like  a  bird  on 
the  wing,  past  the  old  gentleman,  who  was  sitting  where 
he  fell,  with  his  hands  covering  his  face.  As  great  as 
was  his  speed  the  frightened  horse  had  approached  to 
within  thirty  yards  of  the  branch  road  before  he  passed 
to  his  head  and  seized  him  by  the  bit.  A  succession  of 
quick,  vigorous  jerks  slackened  the  speed  of  the  animal, 
but  when  the  attempt  was  made  to  turn  him  into  the  side 
road,  the  momentum,  coupled  with  the  horse's  resistance, 
could  not  be  overcome  in  so  short  a  space,  and  in  an 
instant  both  horses  and  riders  were  dashed  violently  against 
the  fence,  in  the  angle  made  by  the  two  roads.  Mr.  Stew- 
art's horse  made  a  gallant  eifort  to  leap  the  obstruction, 
and  though  he  went  over  by  knocking  off  some  rails  and 
breaking  others,  he  landed  on  his  side  and  rolled  entirely 
over ;  but,  fortunately,  the  young  man  had  managed  to 
clear  himself  of  the  saddle,  and  to  fall  a  few  feet  away. 
In  an  instant  he  was  on  his  feet,  and  springing  over  the 
fence  again,  he  went  to  the  assistance  of  the  young  lady. 
The  buggy  horse  had  crushed  his  w^ay  half  through 
the  fence,  just  at  the  angle,  and  lay  struggling  in  death. 
The  lady  had  been  thrown  clear  of  the  fence,  and  was 
lying,  apparently  lifeless,  a  few  feet  from  the  wrecked 
remains  of  the  buggy. 

Mr.  Stewart's  heart  grew  still  and  pulseless  as  he  knelt 
by  the  loved  form,  and,  tenderly  raising  the  beautiful  head, 
rested  it  on  his  bosom.  In  a  voice  that  trembled  with 
agony,  he  exclaimed,  scarcely  above  a  whisper : 

^^  Miss  Seymour  !  Florence  !  Darling,  darling,  will 
you  not  speak  to  me  ?  Will  you  never  speak  to  me  again  t 
Oh,  my  God,  have  pity  \ " 

As  if  in  answer  to  the  agonized  prayer,  the  silken  lashes, 


156  MARS,  TERPSICHORE   AND   CUPID. 

upon  which  he  was  gazing  so  iutciitlvj  trembled  for  a  few 
moments,  and  then  the  beautiful  blue  eyes  opened  to  an 
unusual  width.  The  pupils  were  painfully  dilated,  and  a 
look  which  betokened  no  recognition  was  fixed  upon  his 
face.  As  he  unconsciously  stroked  the  golden  hair,  he 
gazed,  almost  breathlessly,  into  those  vacant  eyes  until  the 
light  of  intelligence  stole  back  into  them  by  slow  degrees, 
and  a  faint  flush  on  the  cheeks  told  him  that  he  was 
recognized.  Then,  pressing  his  lips  tenderly  upon  her 
forehead,  he  said,  in  a  low  voice : 

"  Speak  to  me,  my  darling,  my  own,  and  tell  me  that 
you  are  not  seriously  hurt  ! " 

"N — no;  I — hope  not,"  said  the  young  lady,  faintly. 

'^  Have  you  any  severe  pain,  my  precious  love  ? "  asked 
the  young  man,  anxiously. 

"  No ; — not — very." 

"  Do  you  think  you  could  sit  alone  ? "  he  asked,  press- 
ing her  head  against  his  bosom. 

"  Perhaps — if — you  desire — me  to." 

^'  Desire  it !  my  poor,  precious,  darling  ?  No ;  not 
now!"  exclaimed  the  young  man,  as  he  pressed  her  head 
still  more  closely  to  his  bosom.  "  If  the  pure  and  bound- 
less love  of  an  honest  heart  can  give  me  the  right,  I  have 
a  right  to  pillow  your  head  upon  my  bosom,  and  to  sustain 
and  soothe  you,  not  only  during  these  moments  of  suffer- 
ing, but  while  time  with  us  shall  last." 

"  While  time  with  us  shall  last ! "  repeated  the  young 
lady,  closing  her  eyes,  while  a  moisture  glittered  upon  her 
lashes. 

'*  Darling,  is  it  a  vow?"  asked  the  young  man,  bowing 
his  head,  and  speaking  close  to  her  ear. 

"  A  vow,"  she  repeated,  ^^  unless " 

"  Speak,  darling,  but  make  no  conditions.    It  is  a  vow ! " 


^^A  SOLEMN   VOW."  157 

'     "Yes;    unless — I   shall    prove — to   be    maimed — for 
life.'^ 

"  In  that  case  a  doubly-sacred  vow,  my  precious  one  ! " 
exclaimed  the  young  man,  passionately,  as  he  pressed 
warm  kisses  upon  her  lips.  "  Our  hearts  are  bound  by  an 
indissoluble  tie.  The  recording  angel  is  registering  our 
vow  !  Come  weal  or  woe,  we  will  be  faithful  and  true, 
tender,  loving  and  confiding,  even  unto  death!'' 

"  Even  unto  death  ! ''  repeated  the  young  lady,  placing 
her  hand  caressingly  upon  the  arm  which  encircled  her 
waist,  and  lying  very  still,  while  tears  stole  through  her 
silken  lashes,  and  chased  each  other  in  pearly  drops  down 
her  cheeks. 

At  this  moment,  Fox,  who  had  paused  to  ascertain  if 
Dr.  Hansel  was  seriously  hurt,  dashed  up,  and  receiving  a 
signal  from  Mr.  Stewart,  passed  on  at  full  speed  to 
"  The  Oaks  "  to  send  a  vehicle  back  for  Miss  Seymour, 
and  to  despatch  a  messenger  for  the  physician. 

As  "  The  Oaks  "  was  less  than  a  mile  distant,  very  few 
minutes  elapsed  before  a  light  phaeton,  drawn  by  a  pair  of 
quiet-looking  bays,  and  bearing  Marienne  with  sundry 
bottles  of  restoratives,  et  cetera,  arrived.  Dr.  Hansel, 
who  was  considerably  shaken  up  by  his  fall,  had  come  up 
in  the  meantime,  and  was  disconsolately  lying  against  a 
corner  of  the  fence,  with  one  elbow  resting  upon  the 
ground,  while  he  scowled  ominously  at  the  interesting 
tableau  presented  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  road. 

As  Marienne  knelt  by  the  side  of  the  young  lady,  who 
had  not  moved  or  spoken  since  Fox's  departure,  but  had 
continued  to  lie,  like  a  sleeping  child,  upon  Mr.  Stewart's 
bosom,  the  soft  touch  of  her  hand,  moistened  with  some 
aromatic  liquid,  seemed  to  recall  her  wandering  conscious- 
ness.    She  opened  her  eyes,  and,  after  looking  steadily 


158 


MAKS,  TERPSICHORE   AND   CUPID. 


at  the    new-comer  for  a    moment,  said,  with    a  smile,  * 
as  she  took  hold  of  Marienne's  hand  : 

"  Ah  !  you  are  Marienne  !  We  shall  be  friends  !  You 
are,  indeed,  very  beautiful ! '' 

^^  Poor  child  ! "  said  Marienne,  kissing  her  on  the  fore- 
head, and  bathing  her  face  with  the  contents  of  a  bottle ; 
^'  her  mind  wanders.  Monsieur,"  she  added  to  Mr.  Stew- 
art, '^  let  us  take  her  home  at  once.  Cesare  went  himself 
for  the  physician,  and  he  will  meet  us  there  very  soon." 

Dr.  Hansel,  who  had  now  fully  recovered  the  use  of 
his  mental  faculties,  which  had  seemed  to  be  completely 
ovenvhelmed  by  the  fearful  accident,  protested  earnestly 
against  taking  Miss  Seymour  to  any  place  but  the  Athe- 
neiun.  But  the  young  man,  Avith  Marienne's  assistance, 
placed  her  in  the  vehicle,  where  she  sat  supported  by  the 
latter,  while  he  took  the  reins  and  drove  slowly  to  "  The 
Oaks."  The  old  gentleman,  having  failed  to  carry  his 
point,  sat  by  the  young  man\s  side  in  sullen  silence,  while 
Dick  went  to  look  after  Selim. 


"Selim." 


CHAPTER  XI. 
A  Lost  Clan. 

"Deserted  is  his  own  good  hall; 
Its  hearth  is  desolate." — Byeon. 

"It  tvas  many  and  many  a  yew  ago, 
In  a  kingdom  by  the  sea." — Edgar  A.  PoE. 

AS  soon  as  Miss  Seymour  had  been  made  comfortable 
by  Marienne's  and  Mammy's  good  offices  in  a  room 
on  the  first  floor  at  "  The  Oaks ''  and  the  phaeton  had  been 
sent  oif  to  Barrensville  for  Mrs.  Hansel,  Dr.  McDonald,  the 
physician  of  the  neighborhood,  arrived,  and  was  immedi- 
ately conducted  by  Dr.  Hansel  to  the  young  lady's  room. 

Half  an  hour  later  he  made  his  appearance  in  the  par- 
lor, and  relieved  Mr.  Stewart's  anxiety  by  assuring  him 
that  the  patient  was  not  seriously  hurt,  and  that  nervous 
prostration,  Avhich  would  prevent  her  being  removed  for 
some  days,  was  the  only  bad  result  of  the  accident  whi:*h 
he  anticipated. 

Mrs.  Hansel  arrived  before  ten  o'clock,  and  the  good 
old  doctor,  having  ordered  the  house  to  be  kept  quiet 
during  the  night,  took  his  departure. 

He  w^as  late  in  making  his  morning  visit,  as  good  old 
doctors  usually  are,  and  after  having  been  in  the  patient's 
room  for  some  time,  he  came  out  and  informed  ^Ir.  Stew- 
art that  she  was  doing  well,  and  that  he  had  prescribed 
absolute  rest  of  body  and  mind,  but  that,  while  she  must 
not  converse,  he  wished  her  to  be  entertained. 

159 


160  A   LOST   CLAN. 

"  I  shall  send  you  in  there  to  read  to  her,  young  man, 
eh?'*  he  added,  familiarly  shaking  him  by  the  shoulder; 
^^  I  know  you  are  dying  to  get  in  there,  and  I  mean  that 
you  shall.  The  young  lady  needs  no  more  physic,  and  I 
shall  turn  my  attention  to  you.  See  ?  We  old  sawbones 
can  '  minister  to  a  mind  diseased  ^  as  w^ell  as  to  an  ailing 
body ;  yes,  indeed  !  The  treatment's  a  little  different, 
though  ;  fact,  I  assure  you  !  AVe  run  Homoeopathy  on 
the  first;  similia  simili6?^5,  d  cetera — especially  the 
'  bus/  when  that's  attainable.  May  aggravate  the  symp- 
toms at  first,  but  is  sure  to  cool  the  fever  in  good  time. 
Never  knew  it  to  fail ;  fact !  Hope  you'll  try  it !  Xot 
bad  to  take,  and  don't  need  au}i:hing  to  take  the  taste 
out  of  your  mouth.     See  ?     Ha  ! " 

The  voung  man  bore  the  humorous  banter  of  the  kind 
old  gentleman  pleasantly,  and  was  rewarded  by  being 
installed  as  "  assistant  entertainer "  to  the  patient,  with 
the  parting  injunction  to  see  about  procuring  "  that  anti- 
febrile lotion  "  for  himself. 

^'Xo,"  said  Miss  Sevmour,  as  the  "assistant  entertainer" 
picked  up  "Tupper's  Proverbial  Philosophy,"  and  com- 
menced turning  the  leaves,  that  he  might  find  and  read 
that  portion  which  speaks  of  seventh-heaven  glances, 
whirlwind  sighs,  and  millennial  moments,  "  I  know  that 
book  almost  by  heart,  and  I  am  old-fashioned  enough 
to  admire  it  verv  much,  but  I 

"  My  child  ! "  said  Mrs.  Hansel,  warningly. 

"  Yes  ;  I  know,  mamma,  the  good  old  doctor  said  I  was 
not  to  talk,  and  said  many  other  saucy  things,  but  where 
is  the  good  of  being  a  patient  if  one  may  not  be  wilful. 
I  shall  insist  upon  the  usual  resort  to  mingled  bribery 
and  coercion  unless  Mr.  Stewart  will  agree  to  give  us  the 
legend  of  the  Cocletz  Indian  tribe." 


"  NOMADIC   INDIANS."  161 


"  In  that  case,"  said  the  young  man,  laughing,  "  I  shall 
invoke  the  god  Harpocrates  to  cast  his  spell  upon  you, 
and  will  commence  the  legend  at  once : 

"  The  Cocletz  Indians  were  not  a  tribe,  but  only  a  clan, 
whose  ancestors  belonged  to  the  Catawba  tribe.  The 
name  was  originally  only  the  name  of  an  individual 
belonging  to  the  clan.  It  was,  and  is,  I  believe,  a  custom 
with  the  ^  wild  Indians,'  as  those  are  called  who  have 
failed  to  adopt  any  of  the  methods  or  customs  of  civiliza- 
tion, except  the  use  of  rum  and  gunpowder,  to  name  their 
children  after  the  first  object  that  attracts  the  young 
savage's  attention.  This  particular  savage  was  named  for 
the  wolves.  ^  Co-Cletz,'  in  the  Catawba  language,  means 
^  wolves,'  or  a  flock  or  pack  of  wolves. 

"The  Catawbas,  who  had  their  headquarters  on  the 
Catawba  river,  in  South  Carolina,  are  said  to  have  been  a 
superior  tribe  of  Indians.  Like  the  majority  of  other 
Southern  tribes,  notably  the  ]Muscogulges,  Cherokees, 
Seminoles,  Creeks,  Choctaws,  Chickasaws,  Sasqueha- 
noughs,  and  others,  they  were  proud,  haughty,  brave  and 
valiant  in  war,  yet  magnanimous  and  merciful  to  a  van- 
quished enemy. 

"  It  was  the  custom  of  the  Catawbas  to  make  long  trips 
Northward  in  the  summer  season,  and  in  these  hunting 
journeys  they  went  as  far  North  as  the  Valley  of  Virginia 
very  frequently,  where  they  would  exchange  their  mussel- 
shell  spoons,  and  agate  arrow-heads,  for  the  oyster-shell 
cutting  implements  of  the  Senedos  and  Tuscaroras. 

"In  one  of  these  excursions  they  met  and  fought  the 
Massawomees,  a  powerful  and  very  cruel  and  barbarous 
tribe  from  the  North,  which  had  become  a  terror  to  the 
more  peaceful  tribes  of  Eastern  Virginia.  At  the  time 
of  the  collision  a  few  of  the  braves,  accompanied  by  their 


162  A   LOST   CLAN. 

squaws,  had  gone  with  a  party  of  Senedos  on  a  fishing 
excursion  to  the  Eastern  Shore.  When  these  returned  to 
the  North  fork  of  the  Shenandoah,  the  home  of  the  Sene- 
dos, they  found  that  the  portion  of  the  Senedo  tribe 
which  had  remained  behind  in  their  village  had  been 
massacred  by  the  Massawomees,  and  that  the  visiting 
Catawbas  had  been  routed  and  driven,  with  much  slaughter, 
westward  across  the  mountains.  The  little  band  of 
Catawbas  attempted  to  follow  their  tribe,  but,  unfortunately, 
they  fell  in  with  the  Massawomees,  and  those  that  were 
not  slaughtered  were  made  prisoners  and  slaves.  Several 
years  elapsed  before,  on  another  expedition  against  the 
tribes  of  Eastern  Virginia,  the  few  Catawbas  still  alive  in 
bondage  had  an  opportunity  to  escape  from  their  cruel 
captors.  There  were  now  only  about  half  a  dozen  of 
them,  and  they  fled  southward  along  the  foot  hills  that  lie 
at  the  eastern  base  of  the  Blue  Hidge  mountains,  until 
they  came  to  the  land  of  the  Chicoras.  Here  they  were 
permitted  to  remain  for  a  time,  but  a  difficulty  having 
arisen  with  members  of  that  tribe,  they  were  again  forced 
to  resume  their  tramp.  After  many  weeks  of  weary, 
weary  travel,  they  came  to  the  land  of  the  Uchees,  a  small 
tribe  then  holding  a  small  territory,  embracing  the  beau- 
tiful country  and  romantic  scenery  lying  between  the  head 
waters  of  the  Savannah  and  those  of  the  Alabama  rivers. 
The  wanderers  were  made  welcome  bv  the  Uchees,  on 
account  of  the  little  numerical  strength  which  they  brought, 
and  accepted  a  proposition  to  ally  themselves  permenently 
with  that  tribe. 

"  It  was  a  short  time  after  their  adoption  by  the  Uchees 
that  the  boy  Co-Cletz  was  born.  When  he  arrived  at  the 
age  of  manhood,  his  great  intelligence,  coupled  with  his 
great  daring  and  skill  in  all  manly  exercises,  and  his  won- 


^^  A  -VT       TX'TkT  A   XT        A   T\trT:^X-mTT-I-»T?l    '' 


AN   INDIAN   ADVENTURE."  163 

derful  fleetness  of  foot  and  great  powers  of  endurance, 
made  him  a  very  popular  and  prominent  member  of  the 
tribe.  But,  unfortunately,  he  fell  in  love  with  the  only 
daughter  of  the  chief,  who  had  been  betrothed,  by  her 
father,  to  a  prince  of  a  neighboring  tribe,  and  the  gentle 
savage  returned  his  passion. 

"  Love,  it  is  said,  causes  a  large  part  of  the  sum  of 
human  misery,  whether  among  Christian  barbarians  or 
barbarous  heathens,  buf  as  it  makes  the  sum  total  of 
human  happiness  in  this  life,  all  people,  in  all  ages,  bow 
submissively  to  its  gentle  dictates.  The  old  Uchee  chief, 
however,  was  not  disposed  to  bow  meekly  to  the  inevit- 
able. AVhen  the  two  lovers  attempted  to  elope  to  the 
Indian's  Gretna  Green — the  uninhabited  wilds  of  the  forest 
— they  were  captured,  and  the  maiden  was  put  under  a 
strong  guard,  while  preparations  were  made  to  cremate 
the  dashing  and  too  fascinating  young  brave  in  the  usual 
aboriginal  fashion.  This  would  undoubtedlv  have  been 
done,  despite  the  angry  scowls  and  muttered  threats  of  the 
young  man's  clan  and  relatives,  had  not  the  maiden  been 
a  heroine.  Springing  from  her  guards,  Avith  a  butcher 
knife  snatched  from  one  of  them,  she  ran  forward  and 
sprang  to  the  side  of  her  lover,  on  the  pile  of  pine-knot 
faggots,  which  was  already  ablaze,  and  avowed  her  deter- 
mination to  die  with  him,  and  to  stab  to  the  heart  any  one 
who  should  attempt  to  prevent  the  execution  of  her 
design.  Of  course,  there  was  a  general  rush,  on  the  part 
of  all  present,  to  extinguish  the  fire,  and  in  the  confusion 
the  little  heroine  cut  the  thongs  which  bound  her  manly 
lover,  and  he  bounded,  like  a  deer,  into  the  depths  of  the 
forest. 

"The  young  man  was  never  seen  by  the  tribe  again,  and 
the  vindictive  old  chief  vented  his  spleen  upon  the  rebel- 


164  A   LOST   CLAN. 

lious  relatives  and  clan,  till,  one  by  one,  they  disappeared 
from  the  camp,  and  finally  not  one  was  left. 

^'The  time  was  rapidly  approaching  for  the  yonug 
chief  to  claim  his  bride,  when,  on  a  dark,  moonless,  mid- 
summer night,  the  ominous  and  persistent  hooting  of  an 
owl  was  heard  near  the  camp,  which  the  still  imprisoned 
and  guarded  maiden  amused  herself  by  attempting  to 
imitate.  Suddenly  there  was  a  rush  of  dusky  forms  upon 
the  wigwam  prison,  the  guards  w^ere  clubbed  and  the 
maiden  spirited  away.  The  Avar  Avhoop  was  sounded, 
clubs  were  seized  and  pursuit  made,  but  neither  the  maiden 
nor  her  captors  were  ever  seen  again  by  the  old  Uchee  or 
his  people. 

"Young  Co-Cletz,  having  thus  obtained  possession  of 
his  heroic  bride,  journeyed  westward  beyond  the  Alabama 
river,  and  for  many  years  he  and  his  little  band  were  a 
nomadic  clan,  smoking  the  pipe  of  peace  with  all  tribes, 
but  affiliating  with  none.  Becoming  friendly  wdth  the 
white  people  of  Alabama,  they  adopted  some  of  the  habits 
and  customs  of  civilization,  and  eventually  located  perma- 
nently in  North  Alabama.  By  some  means,  in  the  early 
days  of  territorial  government,  they  obtained  a  title  to  ten 
or  more  sections  of  land,  lying  chiefly  in  the  Barrens,  and 
within  four  or  five  miles  of  this  place.  They  cultivated 
patches  of  corn  and  potatoes,  with  an  occasional  patch  of 
cotton,  and  traded  venison  and  furs  with  the  white  people, 
to  whom  they  were  known  as  the  Cocletz  clan. 

"  When  the  Indians  were  removed  from  Alabama  they 
refused  to  go,  and  as  they  w^ere  orderly  and  peaceful,  and 
owned  in  fee  a  part  of  the  soil,  no  objection  was  made  to 
their  remaining;.  The  location  of  their  settlement  was  an 
unhealthy  one,  there  being  an  extensive  swamp  near  by, 
and  to  the  southward  of  it,  and  this,  coupled  perhaps  w^ith 


"mysterious  disappeaeance."  165 

the  radical  change  in  their  mode  of  life,  caused  the  clan  to 
decrease  in  numbers.  Occasionally,  too,  some  of  them 
would  go  oif,  and  never  return,  and  it  was  taken  for 
gi-anted,  of  course,  that  they  had  gone  to  the  Indian  Ter- 
ritory. 

"  This  continued,  until  they  were  reduced  to  three  fami- 
lies, with  a  great-grandson  of  the  original  Cocletz  as  chief. 
This  man,  old  Clopton  Cocletz,  as  he  was  called — having 
been  named  Clopton  after  a  white  man,  who,  as  surveyor, 
land  commissioner,  or  something  of  the  kind,  had  be- 
friended the  tribe — was  a  boisterous,  drinking  fellow. 
Nothing  greatly  to  his  discredit  was  known,  but  he  was 
cordially  hated  by'  the  other  two  families.  These,  also, 
finally  disappeared,  and,  no  doubt,  w^ent  to  the  Indian 
Territory,  as  they  bought  a  wagon  from  a  white  man,  and 
spoke  of  their  intention  to  remove  there.  Their  dej^arture 
left  Clopton  Cocletz,  and  his  wife  and  three  boys,  sole  pro- 
prietors of  a  good,  large  territory  of  land.  Some  of  the 
best  of  this  was  sold,  and  the  proceeds  invested  in  negro 
slaves,  thus  enabling  the  old  Indian  to  become  quite  a 
large  cotton  planter. 

"  About  the  time  that  his  youngest  boy  was  fully  grown, 
the  wife  died,  and,  it  was  said,  the  old  man  then  became 
very  dissipated  and  reckless,  and  that  he  and  the  boys 
often  engaged  in  some  of  the  wildest  revelry  ever  known 
in  a  civilized  land.*  Of  course,  his  exploits  were  greatly 
exaggerated  by  the  negroes,  and  as  neighboring  planters 
forbade  their  negroes  to  hold  any  communication  with 
those  on  his  place,  he  soon  became  an  object  of  super- 
stition, and  finally  of  terror,  to  the  imaginative  creatures. 
In  his  early  life  he  had  lost  an  eye,  and  when  he  became 
an  object  of  superstitious  fear,  the  young  wits,  playing 
upon  the  abbreviation  of  his  name,  Clop.  Cocletz,  styled 


166  A   LOST   CLAN. 

him  ^  Cyclops  Cocletz/  and  would  tell  marvellous  tales  of 
impossible  exploits  by  him  for  the  mere  pleasure  of  testing 
the  credulity  of  some  superstitious  son  or  daughter  of 
Ham. 

J^  In  the  course  of  time,  it  was  whispered  around  among 
the  colored  people  that  he  and  the  boys  had  murdered 
one  of  their  slaves  in  a  drunken  broil,  and  had  threatened 
to  massacre  all  on  the  plantation  if  the  fact  should  ever 
be  divulged.  Of  course,  when  this  got  noised  abroad,  the 
sheriff  and  people  went  there  to  investigate  the  matter. 

"The  wild  revellers  were  not  found  at  home,  and 
their  negroes  stated  that  they  went  out  fox-hunting, 
before  day-dawn,  three  days  previously,  and  had  not 
returned ;  nor  had  a  horse  or  a  hound  returned  or  been 
heard  of. 

"  To  make  a  long  story  short,  they  were  never  heard  of 
again.  Of  course,  there  could  be  but  one  opinion  as  to 
what  had  become  of  them ;  and  the  forests  were  searched 
for  miles  around,  and  the  accessible  portions  of  the  swamp 
were  explored,  all  to  no  purpose.  The  family  and  rela- 
tives of  the  murdered  negro  were  arrested,  and  all  the 
others  were  held  as  witnesses,  but  the  most  skillful  exam- 
ination failed  to  elicit  more  than  the  simple  tale  which 
was  first  told. 

"  The  proper  court  appointed  a  receiver  to  take  charge  of 
the  property  until,  by  advertising  in  the  Indian  Territory, 
lawful  heirs  should  be  found.  But  all  of  the  advertising 
failed  to  produce  a  claimant,  and  the  real  property  w^as 
finally  escheated  to  the  state,  and  the  slaves  were  sent  to 
Ohio  and  liberated,  a  small  tract  of  land  having  been 
purchased  for  their  use  and  benefit. 

'^The  negroes  soon  got  into  trouble  in  Ohio,  and  a  mob 
of  citizens  killed  several  of  them  and  drove  the  balance 


"a  practical  joke."  167 

from  their  neighborhood.  The  news  of  these  troubles 
came  back  here  greatly  exaggerated,  and  the  negroes 
attributed  all  to  the  malignant  influence  of  old  Cyclops 
Cocletz  and  the  boys.* 

"  All  these  occurrences  gave  a  wide  field  for  the  exer- 
cise of  lively  imaginations,  and  the  negroes  soon  came  to 
believe  that  the  Prince  of  Evil  kidnapped  old  Cyclops 
Cocletz  and  his  boys,  as  well  as  their  horses  and  hounds, 
and  had  appointed  them  his  emissaries  to  look  after  his 
interests  in  this  country  generally. 

"  According  to  veracious  negro  authority  there  is  not  a 
night,  from  the  first  to  the  third  quarter  of  the  moon,  that 
the  sound  of  the  horn  and  the  yelp  of  the  hounds  of  old 
Cyclops  and  the  boys,  may  not  be  heard  in  some  dark  and 
dismal  forest :  while  occasionallv  one  or  more  of  them 
may  be  seen  to  flit  across  an  open  field,  with  their  phan- 
tom steeds  at  full  speed,  in  mad  chase  after  the  shadow  of 
a  passing  cloud. 

"  In  closing  this  true  history,  I  must  remark  that  Peter 
Dillard  is  the  first  person,  of  whom  I  have  heard,  who  has 
ever  been  honored  by  a  visit  from  all  the  clan  with  all 

*  It  is  a  rather  remarkable  fact  that,  for  many  yeai*s  previous  to  the 
war,  no  little  colony  of  liberated  slaves,  from  the  South,  was  permit- 
ted to  live  in  peace  in  any  Northern  state ;  and  it  was  generally  the 
case  that  their  introduction  was  resisted  by  mob  violence.  This 
became  so  bad,  just  pfevious  to  the  war,  that  when  slaves  were 
liberated  by  the  wills  of  deceased  persons,  with  the  usual  provision 
for  their  settlement  in  a  free  estate,  the  only  safe  and  sure  course  to 
insure  for  the  poor  creature  a  welcome,  or  even  toleration,  was  to 
take  him  near  the  state  line,  put  his  legacy  into  his  pocket,  make  him 
play  the  trick  of  "absconding"  and  then  ofi'er  a  small  rcAvard  for  him 
as  a  runaway  slave.  This  trick  always  operated  as  an  "  open  sesame  " 
upon  the  hearts  and  homes  of  the  "philanthropists,"  and  was  a 
cruel,  practical  joke  upon  them,  which,  the  writer  is  assured,  was 
often  played ;  particularly  upon  those  of  Ohio. 


168  A   LOST   CLAN. 

their  horses  and  houDds.  As  they  never  condescend  to 
lay  their  spectre  hands  upon  mortal  materiality,  except  in 
cases  of  very  peculiar  interest  to  the  immaterial  world,  I 
fear  that  Peter  has  been  guilty  of  some  terrible  offense 
against  the  peace  and  dignity  of  the  spirit  land  !  ^' 

As  the  young  man,  in  imitation  of  the  heathen  deity, 
whose  aid  he  had  involved  in  Miss  Seymour's  behalf,  laid 
the  forefinger  of  his  right  hand  upon  his  lips,  the  young 
lady  raised  her  eyes  to  his  with  a  pleased  and  gratified 
expression,  which  changed  instantly  to  one  of  merry 
rebelliousness  a!^  she  noted  the  pantomimic  gesture.  But 
before  she  could  speak,  Dr.  Hansel,  who  could  never 
resist  the  temptation  offered  by  a  good  opportunity  to  give 
the  institution  of  slavery  a  "  stab  under  the  fifth  rib/' 
remarked : 

^^  The  legend  is  quite  interesting,  sir ;  but  the  gross 
superstition  shows  a  shameful  depth  of  ignorance  and 
degradation  for  which,  you  must  admit,  the  institution  of 
slavery  is  jesponsible.^' 

"  I  can  make  no  such  admission,  doctor,"  said  the  young 
man,  pleasantly ;  "  nor  can  I  agree  that  even  gross  super- 
stition is  an  evidence  of  degradation.  The  communities, 
which,  in  time  past,  put  supposed  witches  to  death  by 
hanging  or  burning  are  not  supposed  or  considered  to  have 
been  a  particularly  degraded  people." 

^'The  cases  are  quite  different,  sir,"  said  the  old  gen- 
tleman, stiffly.  ^^  The  New  England  superstition  was  two 
hundred  years  ago." 

"  Yes ;  at  a  time  when  the  ancestors  of  these  negroes 
were  untamed  savages  in  the  wilds  of  Africa.  The  only 
difference  I  can  see  is  in  favor  of  the  negroes.  Their  civ- 
ilization is  of  recent  origin,  and  is  not  an  indigenous 
gro^\i:h,  and  they  are  hardly  more  highly  civilized  now 


"  BORROWED   HUMOR."  169 

than  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  were  then.  Yet  you  cannot  find 
anywhere  in  the  South  a  large  community  of  negroes  who 
would  sanction  or  permit  the  cool  and  deliberate  taking 
of  human  life  for  any  smaller  offense  than  murder  or  a 
worse  crime.'' 

"But  the  superstition  in  New  England  was  confined 
to  only  a  few/'  exclaimed  the  old  gentleman,  "  and  was 
soon  put  aside,  even  by  those  few." 

"  Your  poet,  John  G.  Whittier,  says  that  those  super- 
stitions have  not  been  put  entirely  aside,  even  to  the 
present  day.  As  to  the  ^few'  of  whom  you  speak,  they 
were  the  leading  men,  the  teachers  of  the  Puritan  portion 
of  the  people ;  and  we  can  hardly  suppose  the  flocks  to 
have  been  greatly  superior  to  the  shepherds.  Whittier 
describes  the  latter  as  considering  themselves  \  the  cham- 
pions of  God's  chosen  people,'  who  girded  up  their  stout 
loins  to  do  battle  with  the  unmeasured,  all-surrounding 
terror — the  spirit  of  the  bad  angel  which  caused  the  meet- 
ing-houses to  be  burned  by  lightning ;  which,  speaking 
through  the  lips  of  Madam  Hutchinson,  confuted  the 
^  Judges  of  Israel,'  and  made  ashamed  the  ^  godly  ministers 
of  Zion  ; '  and  which  put  it  into  the  hearts  of  the  Indians, 
red  devils,  to  love  the  pestilent  Quakers  and  the  Jesuit 
missionaries — locusts  from  the  bottomless  pit — and  to  seek 
the  scalps  of  ^  God's  anointed.' " 

"  You  are  quite  facetious,  sir,"  said  the  old  man, 
haughtily ;  then,  seeing  an  amused  smile  on  the  young 
lady's  lips,  he  added,  sarcastically,  "  Miss  Seymour,  I  see 
no  wit  in  Mr.  Stewart's  remark  ! " 

"  The  wit,  if  there  be  any,  doctor,"  said  the  young  man, 
with  a  laugh,  "  is  not  mine.  I  have  given  you,  from 
memory,  a  verbatim  extract  from  a  magazine  article  by 
your  pleasant  poet,  Jolin  G.  Whittier.     But  we  will  change 


170  A   LOST   CLAN. 

the  subject.  I  wish  to  inform  i\Iiss  Seymour  that  my 
little  cousins  and  their  father  will  dine  with  us  to-day. 
They  and  other  neighbors  would  have  been  over  sooner 
but  for  the  physician's  orders.^^ 

"  Oh,  that  w^as  cruel/'  said  the  young  lady,  with  anima- 
tion, arising  to  a  sitting  posture  upon  the  sofa,  "  to  forbid 
my  little  friends " 

^^  I  only  wish  to  say  in  this  connection,'^  interrupted 
the  old  gentlemen,  and  speaking  as  if  passing  sentence 
upon  a  malefactor,  "  that  if  John  G.  Whittier  is  alleged 
to  be  a  poet,  he  cannot  prove  his  right  to  be  considered  a 
man  of  common  sense  or  common  decencv ;  and  it  can 
never  be  alleged  that  he  has  common  respect  for  the 
Christian  sages  of  the  past ! " 

''  Perhaps,"  said  the  young  man,  by  way  of  apology 
for  jMr.  Whittier,  "  his  ancestors  belonged  to  the  persecuted 
Quakers,  and  not  to  the  persecuting  Puritans." 

Miss  Seymour  smiled  at  this  remark,  and  the  old  man 
left  the  room  abruptly. 


Pure  as  the  Lilj'. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Tadpoles  and  Water-Squarapins. 

**  SoiTowfor  past  ills  doth  restore  frail  man 
To  his  first  inrwcence." — N abb's  Microcosmus. 

"  Who  by  repentaTice  is  not  satisfied 
Is  Twt  of  heaven  or  earths — Shakspeare. 

AN  the  day  succeeding  Peter  Dillard's  capture,  as  it  was 
^  the  fifth  Sunday,  there  was  no  appointment  for  services 
at  Bethel,  in  the  forenoon.  In  the  afternoon  it  had  been 
announced  the  Rev.  Mr.  Elliott,  the  regular  preacher,  would 
deliver  a  sermon  on  the  joys  of  Paradise.  Long  before 
the  appointed  hour  arrived  the  negroes  in  the  country 
around  had  been  made  aware  that  Peter  Dillard  had  mys- 
teriously disappeared,  and  that  his  family  had  no  idea  of 
his  whereabouts  or  what  was  detaining  him.  The  idea 
that  he  had  absconded  was  scouted  by  all,  but  mysterious 
insinuations  were  thrown  out  by  some,  until,  by  three 
oVJock,  the  whole  neighborhood  was  in  a  state  of  the 
greatest  suspense  and  excitement,  and  rumors  of  the  most 
contradictory  and  impossible  character  were  flying  from 
plantation  to  plantation  on  the  wings  of  the  wind. 

As  Peter  was  a  very  prominent  member  of  the  church, 
it  was  hoped  by  all  that  at.  the  church  they  might  hear 
the  truth  of  ih^  matter;  and  when  good  old  Brother  Elliott 
appeared  on  his  flea-bitten  gray  he  was  astonished  to  find 
the  immense  crowd  awaiting  his  ministrations,  until  he 

171 


172  TADPOLES   AND   WATER-SQUARAPINS. 

recollected  having  heard  of  Dillard's  mysterious  dis- 
appearance, and  the  superstitious  surmises  respecting  it. 
He  immediately  resolved  to  rebuke  this  gross  superstition, 
on  so  favorable  an  occasion  as  he  then  had  ;  yet  as  he  was 
not  a  "  fashionable  preacher,"  with  a  princely  salary,  he 
could  not  make  an  address  strictly  upon  superstition,  but 
must  hang  his  remarks  on  that  subject  upon  a  framework 
of  gospel  forms  and  truths. 

Before  the  congregation  repaired  to  the  commodious, 
but  rigidly-plain  building,  the  various  rumors  had  con- 
solidated themselves  into  one  of  the  most  startling  char- 
acter possible.  That  Peter  and  some  friends  while  cross- 
ing a  field  had  been  swooped  down  upon  by  the  whole 
Cocletz  clan,  and  carried  off  through  the  air,  leaving  a 
streak  of  blue  light  behind  them  !  How  this  account 
originated,  or  who  had  brought  it  to  the  church  could  not 
be  ascertained;  but  this  fact  only  served  to  secure  for 
it  unquestioning  credence,  and  dull  eyes  became  alert, 
while  bright  eyes  grew  wild  and  sleek  black  faces  grew 
ashy  with  horror,  as  the  tale  was  Avhispered  from  ear  to 
ear. 

Before  the  sermon  was  half  ended,  it  was  evident  to  the 
good  old  parson  that  while  he  spoke  of  the  "  spirits  of 
just  men  made  perfect "  the  thoughts  of  his  congregation 
were  running  upon  spirits  that  had  not  been  made  perfect, 
but  were  permitted  to  vex  this  mundane  sphere.  In  vain 
did  he  paint  the  beauties  of  the  Celestial  City,  and  speak 
of  the  felicity  of  the  just.  The  minds  of  his  hearers 
were  preoccupied,  and  their  restless  eyes  ever  ready  to  leap 
from  a  listless  contemplation  of  his  features  to  a  startled 
flash  upon  the  windows,  if  but  the  shadow  of  a  bird  flit- 
ted across  the  latter.  Uncle  George  and  Aunt  Prudence, 
Br'er  Remus  and  Sis'  Dolly,  and  other  palres  and  niatres- 


"Seeking  More  Light." 


"hark,  from  the  tomb!"  173 

familiarum  forgot  to  make  their  usual  impromptu 
responsCvS  from  that  portion  of  the  building  which  the 
irreverent  young  bucks  styled  the  "amen  corner,"  and  a 
weird  stillness  seemed  to  brood  over  the  congregation. 
Finally,  after  the  declining  sun  had  thrown  the  deep  shade 
of  the  oaks  hard  by  around  the  old  building,  the  faithful 
laborer  closed  his  remarks ;  and,  after  a  devout  prayer, 
asked  his  people  to  sing  a  favorite  hymn  by  Wesley, 
beginning  : 

"  Away,  my  unbelieving  fear ! " 

An  ambitious  young  man  who  had  often  longed 
for  an  opportunity  to  distinguish  himself  by  leading  the 
singing,  in  place  of  Peter  Dillard,  the  regular  leader,  saw 
now  his  opportunity,  and  raised  his  voice  in  a  lusty 
attempt  to  enshroud  that  pleasant  composition  in  the 
doleful  metre  of  "  Hark,  from  the  tomb  ! "  Bravely  did 
he  perform  remarkable  feats  of  vocal  agility  in  the  vain 
effort  to  make  the  scant  robe  of  common  metre  cover  the 
full  proportions  of  iambic  tetrametre,  till  one  by  one  his 
backers  deserted  him ;  and,  overcome  by  the  mortification 
of  failure,  he  was  about  to  sink  into  his  seat,  when  the 
door  in  the  shadow  gable  end  was  pushed  violently  open, 
and  a  clear,  full,  strong  voice  sang  out,  with  proper  tune 
and  pitch, 

"  Away,  my  unbelieving  fear ! " 

All !  that  voice  !  Who  was  there  present  that  did  not 
know  the  deep  baritone  of  Peter  Dillard's  powerful  voice  ? 
All  heads  were  instantly  jerked  around  to  the  rear,  and 
as  the  new-comer's  bloodshotten  eyes  and  swollen  featiires 
grew  on  the  intent  gazers  from  the  shadows  surrounding 
the  singer,  there  was  a  feeling  that  something  connected 
with  the  supernatural  was  before  them,  and  strong  men 


174  TADPOLES   AND   WATER-SQUARAPINS. 

groaned,  women  shrieked  and  little  darkies  crawled  under 
the  benches.  But  all  undaunted  by  the  commotion  around, 
the  strong  singer  gave  a  stentorian  and  not  unmusical 
rendition  of  the  hymn  to  the  end.  Brother  Elliott,  seeing 
that  his  congregation  were  hardly  convinced  of  the 
materiality  of  the  new-comer,  asked  him  to  pray,  and  as 
he  lifted  his  resonant  voice  in  a  rudely  eloquent  rhapsody 
of  thanksgiving  for  his  delivery  from  the  clutches  of  the 
evil  one  and  the  spirits  of  the  damned  who  do  his  bidding 
on  earth,  strong  lungs  vociferated  earnest  responses,  and 
impressionable  females  gave  way  to  an  ecstacy  of  devotional 
feeling  and  shouted  aloud. 

As  soon  as  the  congregation  was  dismissed,  men, 
women  and  children,  feeling  no  longer  a  doubt  of  Peter's 
presence  in  the  flesh,  gathered  around  him  to  hear  the 
history  of  his  horrible  adventure.  The  young  men 
insisted  that  he  should  take  the  pulpit  and  "  talk  it  out " 
where  all  could  see  him ;  but  Peter  refused  to  desecrate 
the  sacred  place,  and  declared  that  he  should  not  have 
entered  the  building,  even,  until  he  had  been  rebaptized, 
for  the  evil  one  had  had  his  foul  claws  upon  him,  and  he 
had  ridden  upon  a  horse  whose  breath  of  life  was  the 
sulphurous  gases  of  the  infernal  pit.  It  was  finally 
determined  that  he  should  mount  the  "  horse  blocks  ; ''  and 
from  that  rude  rostrum,  sitting  as  did  the  savans  of 
old,  he  gave  a  full  and  elaborate  account  of  the  events 
of  the  night  as  they  had  impressed  themselves  upon 
his  mind,  omitting,  of  course,  any  reference  to  the 
"Red  String  Gang ''and  its  secret  conclave,  and  closing 
with  the  remarks : 

"  And  I  tell  you,  folks,  ef  it  hadn't  bin  for  dat  rooster 
crowin'  you  never  would  o'  heard,  har  nor  hide,  o'  Peter 
Dillard  no  more  in  dis  worl'  for  ever  an'  ever,  amen  !     I 


"betrayer  and  betrayed."  175 

had  done  sold  my  soul  to  de  evil  sperit,  an'  didn't  know 
it.  He  didn't  take  me  up  on  a  mountain  to  temp'  me — 
an'  dat  shows  how  smart  he  is — but  he  took  me  down  in 
de  creek  bottom,  an'  told  me  to  bow  down  an'  woship 
him,  an'  I  done  it  like  a  fool  !  I  has  bin  desput  wicked, 
an'  its  a  speshul  providence  dat  snatched  me,  es  I  mout 
say,  out  o'  de  very  jaws  o'  hell  !  I  has  bin  a  Judas 
'Scariot,  an'  ef  de  one  I  has  betrayed  says,  ^  Yes,  Peter, 
you  has  betrayed  your  principles,  an'  your  'ligion  an' 
every  thing,'  I's  gwine  to — well,  you  all  know  what  Judas 
'Scariot  done  ?  Don't  ax  me  no  queshtons  ;  don't  talk ; 
I's  in  de  bans  o'  de  good  Lawd  ;  His  blessed  will  be  done. 

A  couple  of  hours  later,  as  the  AYidow  Dillard  was 
sitting  in  conversation  with  her  two  little  daughters,  a 
sers^ant  came  in  and  said  : 

"  Ole  Miss',  Uncle  Peter  is  at  de  back  do',  an'  says  he 
wants  to  see  you." 

"  What  does  he  want.  Sue  ?  "  inquired  the  old  lady. 

"  Don't  know'm.      He  looks  monstous  flustered." 

"  Well,  get  a  light  and  take  him  into  the  dining-room. 
I'm  afraid  to  stand  in  the  draft  of  night  air." 

"Well,  Peter,"  said  the  old  lady,  entering  the  dining- 
room  and  acknowledging  the  negro's  profoundly  respect- 
ful bow,  "  how  is  Aunt  Hannah  this  evening  and  what 
can  I  do  for  you  ?  "* 

*  It  was  universally  the  custom,  in  the  days  of  slavery  in  the  South, 
for  all  old  negroes  to  be  called  "  uncle  "  or  "  aunt "  by  their  juniors, 
whether  white  or  black ;  and  the  continuance  of  this  custom  for  a 
time  after  "  freedom  come  rcun ' "  caused  many  a  lady  to  be  grossly 
insulted  by  some  former  friend  of  color  who  had  imbibed  at  the 
fount  erected  by  the  "  messengers  of  a  matchless  benevolence,"  where 
they  kept  their  peculiar  brand  of  philanthropy  always  "on  tap." 
This  custom  is  not  yet  entirely  abolished  among  the  best  people, 
but  it  is  practiced  only  toward  the  better  class  of  negroes. 


176  TADPOLES   AND   WATEK-SQUARAPINS. 

"  Mammy's  a  heap  better,  thank'ee,  marm.  Dat  kolly- 
gog  is  done  quench  de  fever  for  good,  I  b'lieve.  But  I 
wants  to  talk  'bout  myself,  mistis." 

"  Well,  what  is  it  f '' 

"  Trubble,  marm  !     Trubble  ! " 

"  In  consequence  of  your  spree,  I  suppose.  Peter, 
I  am  astonished  and  mortified  beyond  expression  at  your 
conduct ! " 

"  Mistis,  dat  wan't  no  spree  !  I  has  never  been  drunk 
in  my  life ;  I  wish  it  was  a  spree,  but  it's  a  heap  ^^us  dan 
dat ! " 

"  What  can  be  worse  than  that  ?  " 

^^  Oh  !  mistis,  a  heap  o'  things ;  a  heap  o'  things  ! 
Mistis,  didn't  your  ma  raise  my  mammy  an'  daddy  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"An'  was  dey  lyin',  'ceitful  niggers  ? " 

"  No,  indeed  ! " 

"  An'  neither  is  I-a-lyin',  'ceitful  nigger ;  but,  mistis,  I's 
a  heap  wus  dan  dat ! " 

"  What  on  earth  do  you  mean,  Peter  ?  " 

"  Didn't  I  promise  ole  marster,  when  he  was  layin'  in 
tother  room  dar  on  his  dyin'  bed,  dat  I'd  be  a  good 
nigger,  like  my  daddy  befo'  me,  an'  take  keer  o'  you  an' 
de  young  mistises  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  and  you  have  kept  your  promise  faithfully, 
Peter,"  said  the  old  lady,  warmly,  as  she  saw  greater 
evidence  of  deeply  disturbed  feeling. 

"  Has  I,  mistis  ?  I  has  made  good  craps,  tuck  keer  o' 
de  stock,  an'  kept  up  de  fences  ?  " 

"  Yes,  you  have." 

"  I  has  kep'  do^^Ti  all  rowdyiu'  an'  fussin'  on  de  plan- 
tation, had  de  wood  hauled,  de  hogs  an'  beeifs  fed,  de 
meat    cured  an'  tuck  keer  on ;    has  'tended    to   things 


"making  confession/'  *  177 

ginerally,  an^  has  bin  'beejint  an'  'spectful  to  you  an'  de 
young  mistises  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  all  that  and  more,  Peter." 

"  Yes'm ;  all  dat  an'  more — all  dat  an'  more  !  I  has 
bin  a  Judas  'Scariot !  " 

"  Why,  Peter,"  exclaimed  the  old  lady,  as  tears  of 
sympathy  with  the  negro's  deep  emotion  rose  to  her 
eyes.     "  You  shock  me  !     Whom  have  you  betrayed  ?  " 

"  I  has  betrayed  de  ole  mammy  dat  fetched  me  into 
de  world,  mistis,"  exclaimed  the  negro,  no  longer  able  to 
conceal  the  tears  that  would  flow.  "  I  has  betrayed  my 
honest  principles  ;  I  has  betrayed  de  ole  marster  dats 
sleepin'  in  his  grave  ;  I  has  betrayed  his  little  chil'en  dat 
I  promised  to  perteck ;  I  has  betrayed  you  dat  has  never 
gin  me  a  cross  word,  dat  has  sot  by  my  bed,  day  arter 
day,  wid  my  ole  mammy  when  I  was  at  death's  do'  an' 
past  all  help  'cept  dat  o'  de  prars  o'  de  righteous.  Dat's 
who  I  has  betrayed  ! "  and  the  strong  man,  overcome  by 
emotion,  and  unable  to  stand  longer,  knelt  by  the  window 
and  bowed  his  head  upon  the  sill  while  throes  of 
emotion,  to  which  he  restrained  all  audible  sign,  shook 
his  massive  frame. 

"  There,  Peter,"  said  the  old  lady,  soothingly,  while 
tears  of  sympathy  stood  in  her  eyes,  "  take  the  chair 
by  your  side  and  compose  yourself.  I  am  sure  you 
have  not  done  anything  so  very  bad.  We  are  all  liable 
to  err.  None  of  God's  creatures  can  be  perfect  in  this 
Hfe." 

"Yes,  mistis,"  replied  the  negro,  reaching  out  and 
drawing  the  chair  under  himself  and  looking  out  at  the 
window,  as  he  brushed  his  sleeve  across  his  eyes  in  an 
angry  wipe  at  his  tears ;  "  we  is  all  lierble  to  err,  an'  I 
s'pose  we  is  all  lierble  to  be  tempted  by  de  spirit  o'  evil ; 


178  TADPOLES   AND   WATER-SQUARAPIXS. 

an'  dat's  what  I  hes  bin.  De  evil  one  took  de  blessed 
Saviour  up  on  de  mountain  an'  tole  him  to  fall  down  an' 
woship  him  an'  he'd  give  Him  all  de  worl'.  But  He 
knowed — bless  His  holv  name — dat  it  was  de  evil  one  : 
an'  'sides  dat,  de  worl',  an'  de  heavens,  an'  all,  was  His'n, 
anyhow.  But  dat  same  evil  one,  in  de  form  of  a  gent'man, 
took  me  down  in  the  creek  bottom,  an " 

"  Ah  !  Peter,"  interrupted  the  old  lady,  "  that  was  all 
a  strange  hallucination." 

^^  I  don't  mean  dem  Coclutch  sperits,  mistis  ;  but  dem 
wa'n't  no'  lucination,  nor  nothin'  like  dat ;  I  means  de  rale 
evil  one.  He  come  to  me  drest  up  like  white  fokes,  an' 
took  me  down  in  de  creek  bottom  an'  tole  me  to  fall  down 
an'  woship  strange  gods,  a?i'  I  done  it,  des  as  anybody 
might  o'  knowed  a  fool  nigger  would  do.  An'  I  kept  on  a 
woshupin',  an'  I  felt  meaner'n  a  sheep-killin'  dog  an' 
fiercer  dan  a  roarin'  lion  seekin'  whom  he  may  devour 
somebody.  I  felt  like  a  ragin'  wolf,  ready  to  jump  in  de 
sheepfold  an'  devour  up  de  lams  !  An'  dat's  what  I  was, 
— a  wolf  in  sheep's  clothing  'till  de  good  Lawd  sent  dem 
Coclutch  spirits — es  mean  as  dey  is — to  'rest  dat  evil  one 
an'  snatch  me  out  o'  de  jaws  o'  de  pit.  An'  dey  done  it, 
too,  like  a  flash  o'  lightnin'  an'  I  seed  'em  flyin'  off  wid 
'im,  cussin'  an'  screechin'  throo  de  a'r  like  a " 

"  Stop,  Peter,"  said  the  old  lady,  gravely,  "  you  are  a 
leading  and  respected  member  of  the  church,  besides  being 
the  manager  of  this  place,  and  what  you  say  has  great 
weight  with  the  colored  people.  For  this  latter  reason, 
if  for  no  other,  you  should  be  very  particular  to  distinguish 
between  what  you  ^  see  in  a  vision '  and  what  you  see  with 
your  natural  eyes." 

The  old  lady,  continuing,  read  the  poor  negro  quite  a 
homily  on  religious  duties  and  superstitious  beliefs,  ending 


"reistewed  promises."  179 

with  the  remark,  "  Sue  has  told  me  of  your  adventure, 
and  I  do  not  care  to  have  a  repetition  of  it.  It  was  a 
strange  hallucination,  and  the  most  natural  inference  is 
that  you  were  intoxicated.  But  as  that  was  not  the  case, 
we  are  bound  to  suppose  it  to  have  been  a  dream — only  a 
dream  in  any  event,  and  let  me  request  you,  Peter,  in 
future  keep  your  dreams  to  yourself,  and  don't  tell  them 
and  magnify  them  as  real  occurrences.'^ 

"  Ah !  mistis,"  said  the  negro,  solemnly,  "dem  wa'n't  no 
dreams,  ^cept  dat  my  own  min'  was  took  out  o'  me  an'  de 
spirit  o'  de  evil  one  was  put  into  me.  Ef  dem  was 
dreams,  den  Peter  Dillard  is  a  loonytick  nigger !  But, 
mistis,  I  want  to  tell  you  somethin'  dat  nobody  but  me 
has  ever  diskivered, — an'  it's  dis  : — Niggers^  min's  ahiH  like 
white  folkes'  min^s  !  White  folkes  min's  is  like  de  steam 
boats  on  de  Tenness'y  river — dey  knows  what  dey  is  up 
to  an'  goes  right  straight  along  no  matter  which  way  de 
water  flows  or  de  win'  blows.  Niggers'  min's  is  like  de 
water  in  de  river — sloshin'  along  in  a  sort  o'  happy-go- 
lucky,  Christmus-all-de-year-roun'  fashion,  an'  ef  some 
rascal  goes  dar  an^  digs  a  hole  in  de  bank  it's  boun'  to 
soak  in  dar  an'  go  to  breedin'  tadpoles  an'  water-squarapins. 
But  I  won't  argufy  de  pint  'bout  de  dream  business,  mistis, 
es  you  don't  want  me  to.  All  I  wants  is  fer  you  to  have 
confidence  in  me  like  you  use'  to." 

"  I  know  no  cause  why  my  confidence  in  you  should 
be  shaken,  Peter,  and  I  feel  confident  that  nothing  likely 
to  occur  can  shake  it." 

"  Thank  'ee  for  dem  good  words,  mistis,"  said  the  negro, 
earnestly ;  "  an'  now  I  wants  to  make  all  dem  promises 
over  again  dat  I  made  to  ole  marster,  an'  I  Avants  you  to 
git  de  blessed  Book  an'  make  me  swear  to  'em." 

"  I  am  not  qualified  to  administer  an  oath,  Peter  "  said 


180  TADPOLES  AND   WATER-SQUARAPINS. 

the  old  lady,  smiling/'  and  besides  the  word  of  an  honest 
man,  like  yourself,  is  as  good  as  his  oath." 

"  Thank  'ee,  mistis ;  thank  'ee ;  but  I'd  a  heap  ruther  take 
my  Bible  oath.  You  has  a  heap  mo'  confidence  in  me 
dan  I  has  in  myself,  since  I  has  done  foun'  myself  out. 
Howsomever,  I's  gwine  to  keep  dem  promises,  an  ef  I 
don't,"  he  added,  solemnly,  putting  his  hand  upon  his 
broad  chest  and  looking  upward,  "may  de  good  Lawd 
strike  me  dead  in  my  tracks  de  minnit  I  break  'em  ! 
Dar,  dat's  a  oath,  mistis  !  Has  you  any  orders,  marm,  to 
give  ?  " 

"  No.  Tell  Aunt  Hannah  the  doctor  will  be  here 
to-morrow,  and  I  shall  come  down  with  him." 

"  Thank  'ee,  mistis.  Sarvant,  marm  !  "  and  wdth  this 
characteristic  adieu  of  the  genteel  colored  man,  accom- 
panied by  a  profound  bow,  the  negro  made  his  exit  from 
the  presence  of  the  old  mistress  whose  house,  only  twenty- 
four  hours  previously,  he  had  believed  he  was  willing  to 
see  fired  over  her  head ;  not  because  of  any  want  of  love 
and  respect  for  the  inmates,  toward  w^hom  he  had  never 
entertained  one  feeling  of  resentment  or  unkindness,  but 
because  he  had  been  made,  under  the  influence  of  a 
malignant  and  superior  intelligence,  to  believe  that  the 
mastery  of  the  white  people  over  the  African  was  the 
one  great  obstacle  in  the  way  of  the  advent  of  a  social 
millennium,  in  which  there  would  be  no  more  care,  worry 
and  toil,  no  more  sin,  sorrow  and  suffering  forever. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
The  Old,  Old  Story. 

"  Love  is  a  passion 
Which  kindles  honor  into  noble  acts." — Deyden's  ErvAL  Ladies. 

"  I  do  love  thee,  and  when  I  love  thee  not, 
Chaos  is  come  again, — Shakspeare's  Othello. 

WHEN  the  Misses  Anderson,  accompanied  by  their 
father,  arrived  at  "  The  Oaks,"  the  former  immedi- 
ately evinced  a  determination  to  "  make  things  lively,"  as 
they  expressed  it.  They  assisted  Marienne  in  the  usual 
"company  day"  floral  decorations  of  the  dinner  table, 
making  Some  gorgeous  and  startling  combinations ;  ran- 
sacked the  house,  from  basement  to  garret,  turned  things 
around  generally  and  rallied  Miss  Seymour,  after  all  were 
seated  at  table,  on  looking  so  "pale  and  interesting,"  and 
being  so  used  up  by  a  very  tame  and  unromantic  persona- 
tion of  "  SoFs  carriage  driver."  Then,  turning  their  bat- 
teries on  their  cousin,  they  abused  him  roundly  for  play- 
ing the  role  of  Jupiter  to  Miss  Seymour's  Phaeton,  instead 
of  stopping  the  horse  and  helping  her  out  gracefully,  like 
a  sensible  fellow ;  declared  that  he  did  it  on  purpose, 
well  knowing  there  was  no  other  method  by  which  he 
could  get  Miss  Seymour,  or  any  other  sensible,  and  conse- 
quently bachelor-hating,  young  lady,  into  his  den,  except- 
ing his  charitable  cousins,  who,  out  of  pure  compassion, 
made  it  a  rule  to  look  after  him  occasionally,  and  wound 
up  by  advising  Mrs.  Hansel  to  keep  her  eyes  on  "  Cousin 
12  181 


182  THE   OLD,  OLD   STORY. 

Charles,"  for  they  more  than  half  suspected  that  this 
little  escapade  was  the  first  act  in  the  drama  of  "The 
Spider  and  the  Fly." 

Miss  Seymour  laughed  and  blushed  at  their  merry 
raillery ;  "  Cousin  Charles  "  declared  that  he  was  entirely 
given  over,  "  horse,  foot  and  dragoons,"  to  cruel  mas- 
sacre, because  that  gallant  fellow,  Flournoy,  was  not  here 
to  silence  the  batteries  of  the  enemy.  Mrs.  Hansel  grew 
nervous  and  pale,  while  Dr.  Hansel  looked  as  solemn  and 
woe-begone  as  if  he  had  just  read  one  of  Greely's  leaders 
on  the  subject  of  slavery. 

"  Charlie,"  said  Major  Anderson,  laughing  at  the 
merry  mood  of  his  daughters,  "  these  little  misses  are 
envious  because  they  are  only  school-girls,  and  stand  no 
chance  to  be  invited  into  the  spider  parlor." 

"Thank  you,  uncle,"  laughed  the  young  man,  "for 
coming  to  my  rescue.  That  is  exactly  the  weak  point  on 
which  Flournoy  would  have  opened  his  battery  had  he 
been  there.  By  the  bye,  Miss  Clare,  you  didn't  win  the 
bet  yesterday." 

"  Well,  if  I  didn't,"  replied  the  young  lady,  "  it  was 
only  because  I  had  the  curiosity  to  observ^e  with  what 
degree  of  fortitude  Miss  Florence  would  submit  to  the 
infliction  which  was  so  ingeniously  imposed  on  her." 

"A  very  likely  story,"  laughed  Mr.  Stewart,  slightly 
coloring,  "but  you  admit  that  you  lost  the  bet.  I  am 
glad  to  see,"  he  added,  glancing  at  her  curls,  "that  he 
was  a  considerate  savage,  and  did  not  take  your  entire 
scalp." 

"  Scalp,  indeed  ! "  replied  the  young  lady,  slightly 
blushing ;  "  he  only  got  a  small  part  of  one  curl,  and  stole 
that  with  his  penknife  while  I  was  plucking  a  water- 
lily." 


"teasing."  183 


a  I 


Oh,  he  got  a  curl,  did  he?"  laughed  Mr.  Stewart. 
^^  How  charmingly  confiding  you  are  of  a  secret  which  I 
am  sure  even  Procrustean  torture  could  not  have  extorted 
from  Flournoy  !  Now,  Mrs.  Hansel,"  he  added,  turning 
to  that  lady,  ''  I  advise  you  to  keep  your  eyes  on  a 
certain  charming  young  lady  pupil,  or,  the  first  thing 
you  know,  ^a  bold  soldier  boy'  will  come  tramping 
back  here  from  the  war,  and  she  wdll  be  flinging  herself 
out  of  the  window  at  him.'' 

^^  Thank  you,"  said  Miss  Clare,  "  for  the  compliment 
which  you  pay  to  the  dignity  and  sense  of  propriety  of 
the  '  charming  young  lady  pupils  '  of  the  Atheneum  ;  and 
I  promise  in  return  that  the  next  time  you  visit  that 
institution,  the  only  welcome  you  receive  shall  be  ^  flung ' 
out  of  the  window  at  you." 

"  Which  will  be  winged  kisses,  loving  glances,  or  misses' 
discarded  buskins — which  ?  " 

"  Neither,  sir,  I  assure  you,"  said  the  young  lady,  with 
great  dignity ;  "  the  latter  might  do,  were  it  not  the 
custom  to  throw  them  only  at  successful  lovers.  If  we 
consider  the  fitness  of  things,  a  lady's  discarded  mitten 
Avould  be  the  proper  article  to  throw.  So  you  may  look 
out,  sir  ! "  she  added,  as,  being  the  last  to  finish  her  dinner, 
she  threw  an  almond,  and  shook  the  nut-crackers  at  her 
tormentor. 

"  Uncle,"  said  Mr.  Stewart,  rising,  and  speaking  w4th 
mock  gravity,  "  each  one  of  these  young  ladies  has  assaulted 
me  a  dozen  times  within  the  past  hour,  either  by  looks, 
4)outs,  or  actual  blows.  Can  even  Spartan  fortitude  endure 
longer  ?  " 

"  No,"  laughed  the  old  gentleman,  "  enforce  the  law 
applicable  in  such  cases." 

Before  Mr.  Stewart  had  been  commissioned  an  oflicer 


184  THE   OLD,  OLD   STOKY. 

of  the  law,  however,  the  young  ladies  had  drawn  Miss 
Seymour  out  into  the  hall,  and  had  enlisted  her  in  their 
cause,  at  least  so  far  as  to  make  her  the  proposer  of  a  truce, 
which,  as  each  offender  occupied  the  neutral  ground  of  one 
of  her  encircling  arms,  the  young  man  was  forced  to 
accept. 

Notwithstanding  Dr.  Hansel's  sombre  looks,  which  did 
not  grow  brighter  after  dinner,  and  which  caused  Miss 
Clare  to  suggest,  in  a  stage  whisper  to  her  cousin,  that  per- 
haps it  would  be  well  to  introduce  "  the  day  of  final  judg- 
ment ''  as  a  topic  of  conversation,  the  small  remaining  por- 
tion of  the  afternoon  passed  quickly  and  delightfully  ; 
and  the  shades  of  twilight  had  given  way  to  bright  star- 
light before  the  visitors  arose  to  depart.  The  Misses 
Anderson,  putting  their  arms  affectionately  around  Miss 
Seymour,  drew  her  out  into  the  yard,  in  order  to  have  a 
few  final  words  at  the  carriage  door  ;  and  Mr.  Stewart,  a 
few  moments  later,  accompanied  his  uncle,  and  received 
from  the  little  misses  the  parting  "  demure  and  decorous 
kisses,"  which,  according  to  the  terms  of  the  after-dinner 
truce,  were  to  be  accepted  in  full  payment  of  all  pains  and 
penalties  incurred  during  the  afternoon. 

As  the  carriage  whirled  away,  throwing  from  its  pol- 
ished wheels  a  twinkling  reflection  of  the  bright  starlight, 
Mr.  Stewart,  drawing  the  young  lady's  hand  through  his 
arm,  sauntered  out  into  the  grove. 

It  is,  perhaps,  excusable  in  all  young  people,  no  matter 
how  practical  they  may  be,  when  they  find  themselves  for 
the  first  time  under  the  full  influence  of  the  "  grand  pas- 
sion," to  indulge  to  some  extent  in  lofty  sentiment  and 
stilted  phraseology  ;  and  probably  they  often  do  so  without 
being  conscious  of  the  fact.  Such,  perhaps,  was  the  case 
with  our  lovers  on  this  night,  the  beauty  of  which  was 


"renewing  vows."  185 

sufficient  to  inspire  a  young  heart,  even  though  untouched 
by  love. 

"  Florence,  darling/'  said  the  young  man,  in  low,  tender 
tones,  "  see  how  brightly  '  the  silent  watchers  of  the  night ' 
smile  on  us.  Not  a  cloud,  nor  even  an  envious  mist  is 
there  to  dim  the  beauty  and  the  glory  of  the  mysterious 
^  upper  depths,'  where  centres  of  systems  float  as  mere 
luminous  specks  upon  the  face  of  the  great  macrocosm. 
May  not  Ave,  my  darling,  accept  the  unobscured  loveliness 
of  this  night,  the  first  on  which  Vv^e  have  spoken  alone  to 
each  other  since  the  loves  of  our  hearts  have  been  fully 
revealed,  as  a  bright  harbinger  of  the  life  that  is  in  store 
for  us  when,  hand  in  hand,  we  shall  begin  life's  journey 
anew,  resolved  to  cheer  and  sustain  each  other  through 
whatever  of  good  or  ill  may  betide,  and  to  make  bright  and 
pleasant  each  other's  pathway  down  into  the  ^  valley  of 
the  shadoAv '  that  lies  across  our  way  to  the  realms  of  per- 
fect bliss  ?  See,  my  love,  the  radiant  Venus,  queen  of 
love  and  beauty,  but  fit  only  to  be  your  handmaiden, 
smiling  sweetly  upon  us.  Here,  before  her,  and  in  the 
presence  of  this  countless  host  of  silent  witnesses,  shall  we 
not  renew  our  vows?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  Miss  Seymour,  with  a  sigh  in  her  voice, 
"  we  will  renew  our  vows  ;  but  we  cannot  forget  the  fact 
that  as,  at  any  moment,  the  fickle  mists  may  obscure  the 
brightness  of  the  heavens  from  us,  so  may  unpropitious 
fate  overcast  our  future  with  the  black  clouds  of  despair. 
Oh,  how  serenely  Venus  smiles  upon  us  !  yet  do  we  not 
know  that  the  fiery  Mars  is  but  a  little  way  beneath  the 
horizon,  and  is  only  awaiting  the  fullness  of  time  to  climb 
up  through  the  portals  of  night  and  scowl  upon  us  with 
his  cruel  eye  ?" 

"  Yes ;   within  an  hour  Mars  will  be  peering  at  us 


186  THE   OLD,  OLD   STORY. 

through  the  tree-tops ;  and  in  a  very  short  time  the  dread 
god  of  war,  who  is  ah'cadj  ^  yoking  his  red  dragons,'  will 
ilame  up  in  the  political  horizon  of  our  unhappy  land. 
The  gleam  of  his  red  eye  will  not  only  flash  in  the  faces  of 
panoplied  hosts,  but  will  glare  through  the  lattices  of  our 
weeping  Southern  homes.  It  is  this  last  thought  that  has 
been  the  answer  to  my  prayer,  when  I  have  asked  that  my 
great  love  for  you  may  not  warp  my  judgment  respecting 
the  sacred  duty  which  I  owe  to  my  country.  I  must  fight 
your  kinsmen,  in  the  effort  to  defend  our  homes  from 
invasion  ;  or  I  must  sink  into  a  depth  of  degradation  far 
below  the  reach  of  self-respect,  to  which  death  would  be  a 
thousand  times  preferable.  Darling,  must  your  heart 
remain  neutral,  while  mine  is  being  torn  by  a  conflict  so 
terrible?'' 

"No,"  replied  the  now  weeping  maiden,  suffering  her 
head  to  sink  upon  the  bosom  of  her  lover,  "  I  have  thought 
of  the  conflicting  emotions  that  must  agitate  your  noble 
bosom,  and  my  heart  has  wept  for  you.  Were  the  circum- 
stances of  the  present  troubles  different,  were  your  people 
about  to  invade  the  homes  of  my  land,  my  heart  would 
stand  coldly  aloof  from  the  conflict  going  on  in  yours,  and 
would  judge  you  and  deal  with  you  according  to  the 
result.  But  it  is  your  land  that  is  about  to  be  invaded,  it 
matters  not  by  Avhom ;  it  is  the  mothers,  wives,  and  daugh- 
ters of  vour  laud  who  are  to  bear  the  slow  torture  of  a 
ceaseless  and  undefined  terror  gnawing  at  their  hearts ; 
and,  considering  love  for  the  land  of  one's  birth,  and  a 
wilHngness  to  die  in  its  defence,  as  the  noblest  instinct  of 
which  the  human  heart  is  capable,  my  heart  could  not 
have  enthroned  you  as  its  lord  and  king,  and  have 
enshrined  your  image  and  character  as  the  idols  of  its  wor- 
ship, had  it  been  possible  that  you  could  turn  your  back 


''two  noble  hearts."  187 

on  your  mother-knd  in  the  hour  of  her  deep  distress  and 
sore  necessity." 

''  Thank  you,  my  noble,  generous,  darling  ! "  exclaimed 
the  young  man,  pressing  the  trembling  form  of  the  weep- 
ing maiden  to  his  heart,  and  passionately  kissing  her 
passive  lips.  "The  expression  of  that  lofty  sentiment 
was  not  needed  to  assure  me  that  you  are  the  purest,  best, 
and  most  generous  of  the  good  Father's  created  beings ; 
but  it  dispels  the  clouds  that  have  lowered  around  me, 
and  gives  blessed  sunlight  to  all  my  surroundings.  Before 
many  days,  I  must  be  far  away,  but  my  heart  will  be  ever 
present  with  you,  and  I  feel  that  your  love  will  give  a 
protecting  shield  to  my  life  on  the  field  of  strife,  and  that 
heaven  will  bring  me  back  to  you  and  happiness." 

"  Ah !  civil  war  is  a  terrible,  terrible  thing ! "  exclaimed 
the  young  lady,  nestling  her  head  yet  closer  to  her  lover's 
bosom.  ''  If  you  shall  escape  the  perils  of  the  battle-field, 
and  if  greatly  superior  numbers  and  resources  shall,  in  the 
end,  prevail,  how  will  your  proud  spirit  brook  to  see  your 
country  stripped  of  its  property  and  prosperity,  your 
homes  desecrated  and  destroyed,  and  your  people  humili- 
ated, persecuted  and  oppressed?" 

''  Do  not  distress  vour  tender  heart,  mv  sweet  love," 
replied  the  young  man,  soothingly  stroking  the  maiden's 
cheek,  "with  such  gloomy  forebodings.  The  class  of 
men  who  will  be  drawn  into  the  war  by  the  cry  which 
has  already  been  raised  for  the  'preservation  of  the 
integrity  of  the  Union'  (as  if  the  'integrity  of  the 
Union,'  in  the  best  and  only  desirable  sense  of  the  term, 
had  not  already  been  sacrificed),  are  a  brave  people ;  and 
courage  without  chivalry,  or  a  high  sense  of  justice  and 
magnanimity,  if  that  be  a  better  term,  is  but  a  low  instinct 
which  man  holds  in  common  with  the  brute  creation.     If 


188  THE  OLD,  OLD  STORY. 

we  are  beaten,  we  will  have  the  fortitude  necessary  to  bear 
our  misfortunes  ;  and  the  class  to  which  I  allude,  if  they 
can  control  affairs,  will  have  the  magnanimity  to  make 
our  misfortunes  as  little  galling  as  possible." 

"  Ah ! "  replied  the  maiden,  as  she  softly  pressed  the 
hand  upon  her  cheek,  ^^  when  angry  passions  fill  the  heart, 
the  low,  soft  voice  of  man's  better  nature  is  often  stilled 
for  the  time ;  and,  I  fear,  before  the  passion  that  must  be 
engendered  by  strife  can  be  stilled '^ 

"  Florence !  Miss  Seymour  ! "  interrupted  Dr.  Hansel 
(who  had  approached  unobserved),  speaking  in  a  voice 
that  trembled  with  suppressed  anger,  caused,  doubtless,  by 
the  lover-like  attitude  in  which  he  found  the  two  young 
people.  ''  Your  mother  desires  your  immediate  presence 
in  the  house." 

"I  hope,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Stewart,  dramng  the  young 
lady's  hand  through  his  arm,  and  approaching  the  old 
gentleman,  "  that  Mrs.  Hansel  Avill  pardon  me  for  having 
detained  Miss  Seymour  in  the  night  air.  I  became  inter- 
ested in  a  discussion  of  the  political  situation,  and " 

"Yes,  I  see — ahem,"  interrupted  the  old  gentleman, 
with  ill-suppressed  anger.  "  By  the  bye,  the  papers  have 
just  come,  and  I  find  that  our  troops  have  invaded  Vir- 
ginia. They  crossed  yesterday  morning  before  daylight, 
from  Washington  to  Alexandria,  and  the  few  rebels  and 
traitors  whose  discretion  did  not  get  the  better  part  of 
their  valor  were  captured  and  imprisoned.  By  far  the 
greater  number  of  them,  however,  fought  the  '  sacred  soiF 
with  their  rapidly-vanishing  heels,  as  I  knew,  from  the 
first,  they  would  do.  They  killed  young  Ellsworth, 
however,  for  Avhich  a  thousand  necks  will  have  to  be 
stretched." 

"Then,"  said   Mr.  Stewart,  with  a  forbearing   smile, 


"catching  before  hanging."  189 

"  you  are  not  willing  to  take  the  advice  of  some  of  your 
best  people,  to  ^  let  the  South  slide  in  peace/  " 

"No,  sir,'^  said  the  old  gentleman,  angrily.  "The 
South  cannot  slide  till  we  have  hanged  a  few  thousand 
traitors.  Then  she  will  have  to  slide  back  into  whatever 
position  we  may  choose  to  assign  her." 

"  But,  doctor,  an  old  adage  tells  us  '  catching  goes  before 
hanging,' ''  laughed  the  young  man. 

"Yes,"  replied  the  old  gentleman,  sarcastically,  "the 
only  difficulty  will  be  to  catch  them,  for  they  proved 
themselves  at  Alexandria  to  be  uncommonly  good  run- 
ners." 

"  Oh !  "  said  the  young  man,  with  a  smile,  "  our  boys 
would  scorn  to  come  out  second  best  at  anything,  even  if 
it  should  be  getting  out  of  the  way  of  'raw  heads  and 
bloody  bones.' " 

"You  are  quite  facetious,  sir,"  said  the  doctor,  with  a 
pallor  that  was  perceptible  even  in  the  starlight. 

"  But  not  at  all  disposed  to  be  blood-thirsty,"  answered 
the  young  man,  quietly,  "  as  I  can  call  Miss  Seymour  to 
witness,  for  we  have  been  talking  on  political  subjects." 
But,  instead  of  responding  to  the  appeal,  the  lady  gave 
her  companion's  arm  a  convulsive'  pressure,  and,  on 
looking  into  her  face,  he  found  it  even  paler  than  that  of 
Dr.  Hansel. 

"I  do  not  understand  you,  sir;  nor  do  I  understand 
what  you  mean  by  'raw  heads  and  bloody  bones,'"  said 
the  old  gentleman,  evidently  growing  more  angry. 

"  Take  a  seat  here  on  the  porch,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Stewart, 
as  they  ascended  the  front  steps,  "and  I  will  explain, 
after  I  have  delivered  Miss  Seymour  into  the  hands  of 
her  mother." 

As  the  pair  passed  down  the  long  hall,  Miss  Seymour 


190  THE   OLD,  OLD   STORY. 

again  pressed  her  companion's  arm,  and,  looking  up  into 
his  face,  said,  in  a  low  voice :  ''  Please  promise  me  that 
you  vdW  not  exasperate  my  step-fother  by  your  bantering 
jestS)  and  that  you  will  not  become  offended  at  an}i:hing 
he  may  say.  He  is  So  unaccustomed  to  opposition,"  she 
explained. 

"Certainly  not,  my  darling,"  said  Mr.  Stewart,  as  a 
puzzled  expression  passed  over  his  face;  "  I  would  not,  for 
any  consideration,  offend  any  one  whom  you  respect,  par- 
ticularly an  old.  gentleman,  who  is  my  guest.  'Your 
people  shall  be  my  people ;  your  God  shall  be  my  God,' 
sweet  one." 

"Thank  you,  dar —  darling,"  came  in  a  trembling 
whisper  from  the  lady's  lips,  thrilling  her  lover's  heart 
and  intoxicating  his  brain,  as  he  threw  open  the  parlor 
door,  and,  approaching  Mrs.  Hansel,  apologized  in  a 
confused  manner  for  having  detained  Miss  Seymour- in 
the  de^\T  air. 

Eeturning  to  the  piazza,  Mr.  Stewart  found  Dr.  Hansel 
promenading  rapidly  its  full  length.  Taking  him  by  the 
arm  and  walking  by  his  side  he  said,  pleasantly  : 

"Dr.  Hansel,  my  good  friend,  since  Virginia  is 
actually  invaded,  and  the  war  begun,  suppose  we  agree, 
for  the  future,  to  ignore  the  subject  of  politics  in  our  con- 
versation." 

"  I  think  it  would  be  best,  sir,"  replied  the  old  gentle- 
man, stiffly,  "since  it  pleases  you  to  be  so  very  facetious 
and  sarcastic." 

"  Xot  sarcastic,  doctor,"  answered  the  young  man,  "  I 
have  not  spoken  one  word  in  bitterness  against  your 
people  this  afternoon." 

"Why  should  you  ever  have  done  so?"  asked  the  old 
gentleman,  loftily.    "They  have  always  been  true  to  the 


''what  is  treason?''  191 

government,  and  patriotic  to  the  core,  while  your  people 
are  to-day  traitors.  Yes,  sir,  rebels  and  traitors  deserving 
the  gallows." 

"The  'blue-light  burners,'  doctor,  who  gave  friendly 
warning  signals  to  a  foreign  foe  along  the  New  England 
coast,  and  the  gentle  spirits  who  prayed  that  the  Mexi- 
cans might  welcome  our  gallant  boys  under  Scott  and 
Taylor  with  bloody  hands  to  hospitable  graves,  did  not 
possess  much  of  what  we  here  call  patriotism." 

"  Have  you  no  more  indictments  to  bring,  sir,"  said  the 
doctor,  freeing  his  arm  from  his  companion's  hand,  and 
bowing  with  mock  politeness.  "  I  see  you  do  not  deny 
that  your  people  are  rebels  and  traitors." 

"  We  desire  to  ignore  the  subject  of  politics,  doctor,  and 
if  I  should  bring  forward  other  indictments,  to  which  you 
would  also  have  to  plead  guilty,  your  present  ire  would 
not  be  by  any  means  appeased.  As  to  our  being  rebels 
and  traitors,  we  in  the  South  consider  a  profound  respect 
for  the  fundamental  law  of  the  land  to  be  the  highest 
patriotism;  and  active  opposition  to  the  commands  of 
the  government,  and  a  desire  to  defeat  its  lawful  objects, 
in  a  war  waged  under  and  in  strict  accordance  with  its 
laws,  as  the  blackest  treason,  and  almost  the  only  treason 
that  can  be  known  to  the  laws  as  they  now  stand." 

"  Then,  according  to  your  own  showing,  your  people  are 
guilty  of  the  blackest  treason,  for  you  are  already  engaged 
in  active  opposition  to  the  commands  of  the  government, 
and  are  preparing  to  wage  flagrant  war  against  it." 

"  No ;  we  have  ^^-ithdrawn  from  the  government  of  the 
United  States.  In  its  formation  we  agreed  to  delegate  to 
it  certain  rights  and  powers ;  and  it  was  to  protect  our 
rights  and  interests,  not  only  as  a  whole  people,  but  as  a 
community   of    individual    states.      The   rights    of  the 


192  THE   OLD,  OLD   STORY. 

Southern  states  have  been  assailed  and  denied  by  the 
party  which  has  obtained  control  of  the  government ;  the 
compact  has  been  violated  and  virtually  annulled ;  and 
we  have  resumed  the  rights  which  we  delegated,  and  are 
preparing  to  defend  our  land  and  homes  from  invasion  by 
those  who  have  heaped  every  other  wrong  and  injustice 
upon  us.  If  we  should  be  considered  still  a  part  of  the 
United  States,  the  government  has  no  right  to  wage  a 
war  for  our  subjection.  Our  people  consider  constitutions 
as  above  and  superior  to  governments,  and  when  a  gov- 
ernment violates,  and  makes  itself  superior  to  its  constitu- 
tion, we  have  no  more  respect  for  it,  than  for  any  other 
powerful  organized  mob  or  band  of  revolutionists." 

"  Then,  in  your  opinion,  the  present  United  States  Gov- 
ernment is  only  a  powerful  organized  mob ! "  exclaimed 
the  doctor,  forgetting  his  anger,  and  laughing  aloud  at 
the  supreme  impudence  of  the  insinuation. 

"  Let  us  see,''  said  the  young  man,  calmly  ;  "  the  Aboli- 
tion party, Free-soilers,  etc.,  by  their  own  acts  and  admis- 
sions, regard  political  faith  as  a  silly  joke,  and  fidelity  to  the 
constitution  as  the  merest  foolishness.  These,  amalgamated 
with  the  Republican  party,  are  in  control  of  the  govern- 
ment— are  the  government,  riding  over  all  that  may  stand 
in  their  way,  and  regarding  the  fundamental  laws  no  more 
than  the  highwayman  who  demands  your  money  or  your 
life.  Now,  in  the  dim  future,  when  that  spirit  shall  have 
made  a  Avreck  of  your  government,  as  it  must  do  unless  the 
more  conservative  West  shall  take  control,  if  the  candid 
historian,  as  he  writes  among  the  bat-inhabited  ruins  of 
the  Capitol  at  Washington,  does  not  say  something  of 
that  kind,  it  will  be  because  '  reason  has  floAvn  to  brutish 
beasts.' " 

"  ^  Whom  the  gods  Avould  destroy  they  first  make  mad ! ' " 


"commendable  philosophy.'^  193 

quoted  the  doctor,  indulging  in  a  burst  of  laughter  that 
was  heard  even  through  the  doors  of  the  parlor. 

"  Ah  !  doctor/'  said  the  young  man,  pleasantly,  as  he 
again  took  the  old  gentleman  by  the  arm,  and  led  him  in 
the  direction  of  the  dining-room,  where  the  bell  had 
already  sounded  for  supper,  "  you  are  a  true  philosopher, 
and  it  has  been  the  study  of  my  life  to  adopt  or  imbibe 
the  same  philosophy — the  power  to  approve  in  moderation 
what  pleases  me,  and  to  laugh  at  all  else;  leaving  to 
vulgar  minds  and  to  low  instincts  the  indulgence  of  anger." 

At  supper,  though  Dr.  Hansel  continued  to  speak  of 
political  matters,  he  did  so  in  a  pleasant  vein  of  running 
comment  on  the  news.  But,  as  the  Misses  Anderson 
were  not  present  to  "  make  things  lively,"  the  meal  was 
rather  a  bore  to  the  two  young  people,  notwithstanding  the 
fact  that  Miss  Seymour,  pleased  at  Dr.  Hansel's  apparent 
good  humor,  found  opportunities  to  give  her  lover  many 
timid  glances  of  gratitude,  which  caused  the  ingenuous 
young  gentleman  to  color  slightly  several  times,  under  a 
sense  of  being  the  recipient  of  approbation  not  fully 
merited. 

As  Mr.  Stewart  w^as  escorting  Mrs.  Hansel  to  the 
parlor,  after  supper,  a  note  was  handed  him  with  the 
information  that  a  gentleman  had  left  it,  requesting  that 
it  should  be  attended  to  immediatelv,  and  had  then  ridden 
rapidly  away.  After  seating  the  lady,  the  young  man 
returned  to  the  dining-room  ;  and,  having  read  the  note, 
ordered  his  horse  to  be  brought  out  at  once.  Returning 
to  the  parlor,  and  chatting  pleasantly  for  a  few  moments, 
he  took  leave  of  his  guests,  with  regrets  that  a  matter  of 
pressing  importance  requiring  his  immediate  attention 
would  deprive  him  of  the  pleasure  of  seeing  them  again 
during  the  evening,  perhaps. 


194  THE   OLD,  OLD   STORY. 

"You  will,  however,  return  during  the  night,  Mr. 
Stewart  ?  "  enquired  Dr.  Hansel,  as  the  young  gentleman 
was  making  his  final  bow  at  the  door. 

"  Oh,  undoubtedly,  sir,"  replied  Mr.  Stewart,  confi- 
dently, "  as  you  have  fully  determined  to  abandon  ^  The 
Oaks^  to-morrow  morning,  I  cannot  consent  that  Miss 
Seymour,  after  her  very  recent  fright,  shall  trust  herself 
behind  the  Randolph  bays  with  any  less  skillful  driver 
than  myself. " 

After  her  lover  had  left  the  room.  Miss  Seymour  could 
not  resist  the  desire  which  she  felt  to  see  him  mount  his 
steed  and  dash  away  in  the  starlight.  This  she  accom- 
plished, under  the  pretext  of  going  to  the  dining-room 
for  ]\larienne  to  sins:  her  a  French  air.  As  the  steed  of 
her  knight — a  knight  more  chivalrous,  in  her  eyes,  than 
all  those  of  ancient  Castile — reared  in  frolicsome  joy  at 
the  prospect  of  a  good  run,  and  finally  sprang  off  with  a 
succession  of  curvets  and  bounds,  she  almost  fancied,  as 
she  noted  the  gleam  of  ^lars,  only  one  degree  above  the 
horizon,  in  a  straight  line  with  the  level  road,  that  the 
graceful  figure  which  seemed  so  much  at  home  in  the 
saddle,  was  that  of  some  errant  hero  of  the  olden  time, 
about  to  charge,  lance  in  rest,  at  the  evil  eye  that  seemed 
to  flash  a  red  gleam  of  defiance  on  him.  Marienne 
returned  with  Miss  Seymour  to  the  parlor,  and  obligingly 
sans:  a  number  of  the  familiar  airs  of  her  childhood.  As 
her  hands  glided  over  the  keys  of  the  piano,  her  diamond 
reflected  the  light  of  the  lamps  in  a  brilliant  shower  of 
coruscations,  which  soon  attracted  Dr.  HansePs  atten- 
tion. She  had  never  before  worn  the  valuable  trinket ; 
but,  wishing  to  do  especial  honor  to  Mr.  Stewart's  lady 
guests,  she  had  adorned  her  attire  with  all  the  aids  needed 
to  make  it   pleasing,  including   her  recent   purchase  of 


"unworthy  suspicion."  195 

laces,  as  well  as  the  elegant  gem.  As  she  finished  the 
last  song,  and  turned  upon  the  piano  stool.  Dr.  Hansel, 
who  had  previously  given  his  wife  a  look  which  seemed 
to  say,  ''Now  listen  and  take  notes  ! ''  remarked,  ''  Thank 
you,  Marienne ;  you  sing  unusually  well,  and  I  admire 
that  simple  and  rather  unique  style  of  music.  Were  you 
ever  in  New  Orleans  ?  ^' 

"  Oh,  yes,  sir,"  replied  Marienne,  as  pleasing  thoughts 
of  her  childhood's  liome  lent  brightness  to  her  expression, 
"  I  was  never  outside  of  that  city  till  I  was  ten  years  old." 

"  Ah  ! "  said  the  old  gentleman,  drily.  ''  That's  a 
magnificent  diamond  you  wear;  is  it  an  heirloom?" 

"  No,  sir ;  I  have  ow^ned  it  only  a  very  short  time — 
since  Monsieur's  return  from  the  North,"  answered  Mari- 
enne, understanding  the  request  implied  by  the  gentleman's 
outstretched  hand,  and  placing  the  ring  in  it. 

Dr.  Hansel,  taking  the  jewel  to  one  of  the  lamps,  and 
examining  it  critically,  handed  it  to  Mrs.  Hansel  with  the 
remark : 

"  It  is  of  the  purest  water,  and  is  a  remarkably  fine 
gem." 

Then,  turning  to  Marienne,  with  a  hard,  cold  expression 
in  his  face,  he  went  on — 

"  That  ring  is  worth— I  don't  know  how  much— more 
than  a  thousand  dollars,  however.  Is  it  not  a  very  costly 
present  for  a  gentleman  to  give  to  a  female  dependant  ?  " 

Marienne  colored  to  the  roots  of  her  hair  as  she  replied, 
"  It  was  not  a  present  from  Monsieur,  sir.  He  was  not 
even  the  bearer  of  it.  It  came  in  Cesare's  hands,  and  was 
sent  me  by  a  lady." 

"  Who  is  Cesare  ?  "  asked  Dr.  Hansel,  bluntly. 

"  Mv  brother,  sir." 

"  And  who  is  the  lady  ?  " 


196  THE   OLD,  OLD   STORY. 

"  I  don't  know  her  name  ;  she  was  an  eccentric  person 
whom  Monsieur  met  on  the  Gal's/' 

^'  I  thought  Fox  brought  the  ring  ?  '^ 

^^  He  did,  sir,"  answered  the  poor  girl,  while  her  eyes 
flashed.  "  Monsieur  refused  to  allow  her  to  send  the  ring, 
and  she  deceived  Cesare  into  believing  that  the  bundle  in 
which  she  wrapped  it  belonged  to  me." 

^'  AYhere  did  Cesare  meet  her  ?  " 

"  On  the  cars,  sir." 

''  Did  he  also  go  North  ?  " 

"  No,  sir ;  Cesare  went  to  the  station  to  meet  Monsieur, 
and  saw  the  ladv  on  the  cars." 

"  And  I  suppose  the  accommodating  conductor  can  bear 
witness  that  this  tale  will  bear  '  telling  to  the  marines,' 
eh  ?  " 

"  Sir ! "  exclaimed,  rather  than  questioned,  Marienne, 
while  her  eyes  appeared  to  emit  vivid  flashes  more  pierc- 
ing than  any  from  her  diamond. 

"I  say  that  the  ^person'  must  have  been  a  reniarh- 
ahly  eccentric  woman,"  said  the  doctor,  dropping  the  ring 
into  Marienne's  hand,  and  rubbing  his  fingers  over  the 
lapel  of  his  coat,  as  if  to  wipe  away  a  stain.  Then  walk- 
ing to  the  other  end  of  the  room  and  throwing  up  a  sash, 
he  sat  on  the  window  sill,  and  looked  out  into  the  night. 

Marienne  had  never  thought  of  the  possibility  of  any 
one's  doubting  the  seemingly  romantic  history  of  the  ring ; 
and,  as  she  realized,  with  pale  cheeks  and  compressed  lips, 
how  improbable  it  might  appear  to  one  disposed  to  be 
skeptical,  she  was  on  the  point  of  going  to  confront  Dr. 
Hansel,  and  to  make  him  put  into  words  the  insult  con- 
veyed by  his  manner.  But,  glancing  at  Miss  Seymour, 
whose  cheeks  were  as  pale  as  her  own,  and  seeing  what 
she  took  to  be  an  expression  of  sympathy  in  her  counte- 


"  TJNSUSPECTIXG  PURITY."  197 

nance,  while  Mrs.  HansePs  indicated  only  extreme  embar- 
rassment, she  turned  suddenly  to  the  young  lady  and 
said,  while  she  extended  her  hand  with  the  diamond  lying 
upon  her  open  palm,  "Do  you  object  to  placing  this 
on  your  finger  by  the  side  of  youi-  chaste  and  beautiful 
lapis  lazuli  ?  " 

"  Oh,  not  in  the  least ! "  exclaimed  Miss  Seymour, 
pleasantly,  while  a  slight  flush  dispelled  her  paleness, 
placing  the  ring  on  her  finger,  by  the  side  of  the  stone 
which  matched  her  deep  blue  eyes  in  color.  "  See,"  she 
said,  holding  up  her  hand  so  as  to  catch  the  direct  rays  of 
the  nearest  lamp,  "  equally  chaste,  and  far  surpassing  in 
all  other  qualities." 

"  Thank  you,  dear,"  said  Marienne,  while  a  moisture 
softened  the  expression  of  her  eyes.  "And  now,"  she 
added,  rising  and  taking  her  companion's  hand,  "  if  you 
will  go  with  me  to  my  room,  I  will  show  you  a  letter 
written  in  reference  to  the  diamond  which  will  amuse  you." 

"  Florence  !"  called  Dr.  Hansel,  peremptorily,  from  the 
other  end  of  the  room,  as  the  two  were  leaving,  hand  in 
hand,  "  you  are  overtaxing  your  strength,  and  it  is  past 
ten  o'clock ;  I  desire  you  to  retire  to  your  own  room 
immediately." 

Miss  Seymour  paused,  looked  at  her  mother,  and  then, 
at  once,  pressing  Marienne's  hand,  and  excusing  herself, 
took  a  seat  by  the  old  lady,  and  raised  her  pale,  withered 
hand  to  her  lips.  When  Marienne,  in  the  quiet  seclusion 
of  her  own  room,  recalled  the  earnest  appeal  expressed  in 
Mrs.  HanseFs  eyes,  as  Miss  Seymour  appeared  hesitating 
to  render  immediate  obedience  to  the  command  of  her  step- 
father, she  came  to  the  conclusion  that  there  was  but  one 
head  in  Dr.  HanseFs  family,  and  that  the  form  of  govern- 
ment was  an  absolute  monocracy. 


198  THE   OLD,  OLD   STORY. 

The  next  morning,  before  sunrise,  Dr.  Hansel,  having 
ascertained  that  Mr.  Stewart  had  not  returned,  and  that 
Fox  had  been  absent  for  twenty-four  hours,  was  up,  and 
hurrying  Dick  to  bring  out  the  phaeton,  expressing  his 
intention  to  take  breakfast  at  the  Atheneum.  Marienne 
sent  coffee  to  the  rooms,  and  as  the  phaeton  was  driven 
around  to  the  front.  Miss  Seymour  came  into  the  room 
where  she  was  dressing  the  vases  with  flowers,  bringing 
the  first  early  magnolia  blossom  in  her  hand.  "See,^^ 
said  she,  holding  up  the  flower,  "  I  have  found  the  first 
magnolia.  AVhat  a  beauty !  Immaculate  as  the  snow, 
sweet  as  the  south  wind,  and  so  delicate  that  a  touch  will 
tarnish  it.  I  have  always  thought  it  ought  to  be  the 
emblem  of  nobleness,  truth,  and  purity.^^ 

"Yes,"  answered  Marienne,  "it  is  a  magnificent 
flower,  and  a  favorite  with  all  people  in  the  South. 
Monsieur  prizes  it  above  all  others,  and  calls  it  the  queen 
of  flowers." 

"Ah!"  said  Miss  Seymour,  touching  it  gently  to  her 
lips ;  "  then  I  shall  place  this  one  in  front  of  his  plate,  to 
welcome  him  when  he  returns." 

Taking  a  delicate  white  moss-rose  bud  from  among  the 
flowers  that  Marienne  had  gathered,  she  dropped  it  into 
the  heart  of  the  magnolia ;  and,  putting  it  in  a  slender 
vase,  placed  it  upon  the  table,  with  the  w^ords,  "  Sit  there, 
queen,  and  deliver  my  message."  Then  running  to 
Marienne,  and  seizing  both  of  her  hands,  she  said, 
hurriedly,  "  Papa  is  out  at  the  carriage,  and  is  calling  me. 
I  am  glad  I  found  you  alone.  Neither  of  us  has  ever 
had  a  sister,  and  I  feel  a  kindly  sympathy  for  every  one 
who,  like  myself,  has  been  destitute  of  a  tie  so  close  and 
tender.  How  pleasant  it  would  be,  if,  in  what  is  some- 
times called  the  ^  hurly-burly  of  life,'  our  paths  should 


"quien  sabe?^* 


199 


come  together,  and  we  could  assume  the  duties  of  that 
delightful  relationship  toward  each  other.  Quien  sabe  ? — 
oh,  but  that  is  not  French,  is  it?  How  dreadfully  the 
languages  do  get  mixed  in  my  silly  little  head.  Good- 
bye, dear.''  And  with  a  hasty  kiss  and  pressure  of  the 
hands,  she  ran  quickly  from  the  room. 

"  Bless  the  warm-hearted,  impulsive  child ! ''  .said 
Marienne,  as  the  door  closed  behind  the  graceful  figure, 
forgetting  that  the  "  child ''  was  only  two  years  younger 
than  herself.  ^'  God  grant  that  the  way  may  be  smooth, 
for  she  is  worthy  of  him  !  " 


An  Up-Country  Cotton-press. 


CHAPTER  Xiy. 
The  Darling  Image  in  Plastic  Clay. 

"  Mope's  gayest  wi'eaths  are  made  of  earthly  flowers." — ^Anon. 

"  0  !  reined  tongue  and  bursting  heart 
Are  hard  at  once  to  hearT — Joanna  Baillie's  Basil. 

MR.  STEWART  was  much  disappointed  on  his  return 
home,  a  little  after  sunrise,  to  find  his  guests 
departed.  Marienne  decided  not  to  speak  of  the  episode 
of  the  previous  evening,  and  sincerely  hoped  she  was  in 
error  in  believing  Dr.  Hansel  desirous  to  erect  an  insuper- 
able barrier  between  the  lovers.  She  related  to  the  young 
man  the  little  incidents  connected  with  the  mao^nolia,  and 
he  took  it  to  his  room,  having  first  ordered  that  Selim 
should  be  brought  out  again  as  soon  as  he  had  fed  and 
rested  sufficiently. 

The  note  which  had  called  him  from  his  pleasant  duties 
as  host  was  from  Fox,  and  doubtless  contained  important 
information.     It  ran  as  follows  : 

"  KUKLOS  I 

"33 — Storm  house, — Mathew's  plantation. — one  $. — "Wandering 
Jew  X. 

"Night  H'k.  E." 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  meaning  of  those  seem- 
ingly meaningless  words  and  characters,  Mr.  Stewart  rode 
rapidly  seven  or  eight  miles  till  he  came  to  a  large  plan- 
tation lying  on  each  side  of  the  road.     Throwing  off  the 

200 


"  ANOTHER   '  WANDERING  JEW  '  CAPTIVE^'        201 

top  rail  of  the  fence  on  the  side  opposite  the  buildings,  he 
leaped  his  horse  over,  and  galloping  across  the  cotton  beds 
was  soon  swallowed  up  by  the  darkness. 

An  hour  before  daybreak  a  party  of  nine  horsemen 
hitched  their  horses  in  the  suburbs  of  Barrensville,  and 
passed  on  foot  down  a  street  leading  to  the  depot,  while 
far  off  to  the  southward  could  be  heard  the  distant  rum- 
bling of  an  approaching  train.  As  the  party  halted  at  the 
silent  depot,  evidently  to  await  the  incoming  train,  one  of 
them  spoke  to  another,  who  seemed  to  be  under  arrest : 

"Wheeless  and  Purst  did  not  fare  so  well.  We  had 
conclusive  proof  in  their  case.  You  came  to  look  after 
them,  you  admit,  and  other  circumstantial  evidence  justifies 
our  course.  Your  people  can  never  hope  to  pass  here  as 
Southerners.  Every  other  word  uttered  by  a  !N'ew 
Englander  is  a  shibboleth  to  betray  him.  We  shall  have 
the  last  of  your  pack  before  very  long,  no  matter  if  they 
may  be  scattered  from  Norfolk  to  the  mouth  of  the  Rio 
Grande.  If  you  are  ever  caught  in  the  South  again,  now 
that  the  war  is  begun,  unless  you  wear  the  uniform  of  the 
cause  you  serve,  you  will  be  hanged  as  high  as  Haman. 
Take  due  notice  and  remember  ! " 

Just  as  Mr.  Stewart  had  finished  his  breakfast,  and 
ordered  his  horse  to  be  brought  around  for  his  contem- 
plated trip  to  Barrensville  and  the  Atheneum,  Fox 
arrived,  and  coming  straight  into  the  house,  exclaimed : 

"  Monsieur,  let  us  go  to  your  room  a  moment.  I  found 
some  very  important  papers  in  that  fellow's  carpet-bag. 
It  was  a  more  important  capture  than  we  thought.  Pity, 
we  did  not  hold  on  to  him  till  we  examined  his  baggage." 

For  more  than  an  hour  the  tu'o  young  men  were 
closeted  together,  and  on  coming  out  Mr.  Stewart  informed 
Marienne,  while  Fox  ate  his  breakfast,  that  they  should 


202         THE   DAELING   IMAGE   IN   PLASTIC  CLAV. 

both  be  absent  from  home  for  about  a  week,  as  Fox  had 
to  go  to  New  OrleaDs,  and  he  himself  should  go  to  Atlanta 
on  important  business.  He  requested  her  to  send  Dick 
on  the  next  morning  with  a  basket  of  flowers  and  a  note 
to  Miss  Seymour,  inquiring  after  her  health,  and  inti- 
mating the  cause  of  his  failure  to  pay  his  respects  in 
person,  and  also  requested  that  flowers  be  sent  every 
morning  until  his  return.  Before  Fox  had  finished  his 
breakfast,  Dick  returned  with  the  phaeton,  bringing  the 
information  that  Miss  Seymour  had  not  been  very  much 
fatigued  by  her  ride ;  and  the  two  self-constituted  guar- 
dians of  the  peace  and  well-being  of  the  country  imme- 
diately took  their  departure  for  the  railway  station. 

On  the  next  morning,  before  Sol  had  saluted  the  rosy 
cheek  of  Aurora,  Marienne  was  out  engaged  in  the  conge- 
nial task  of  selecting  and  arranging  the  choicest  flowers 
into  a  floral  poem  for  her  friend.  In  a  salver-shaped 
basket  she  grouped  the  most  significant  emblems,  arranging 
bright  colors  into  striking  and  harmonious  contrasts,  and 
in  the  centre  of  the  whole  she  placed  a  fine  magnolia,  with 
a  delicate  white-moss  rosebud  inclosed  within  its  creamy 
petals.  Then,  calling  Dick,  who  had  already  saddled 
Selim,  she  told  him  the  basket  must  be  delivered  within 
an  hour,  so  that  Miss  Seymour  could  have  the  flowers 
upon  her  breakfast  table. 

It  was  late  in  the  forenoon  before  Dick  returned,  and 
during  his  absence  he  had  exchanged  the  bright  face  with 
which  he  set  out  for  one  of  a  most  lugubrious  aspect. 

"  I  don't  knoVm,"  he  said,  in  response  to  Marienne's 
inquiry,  "whether  Miss  Flo'nce  is  wuss  or  better.  I 
speck  dey  has  all  got  de  small-pox  up  dar." 

"  Why,  what  do  you  mean  ? "  inquired  Marienne, 
anxiously.  o 


''unappreciated  civility."    .  203 

"  Well,  marra,  I'll  tell  you  all  'bout  it/'  replied  Dick, 
placing  his  felt  hat  under  his  arm,  and  stepping  up  on  the 
porch.  '^  When  I  got  dar  de  house  was  all  shot  up,  an' 
Jane  wan't  looking'  out'n  de  winders  nor  nothin',  like  she 
always  is ;  an'  when  I  knocked  at  de  do'  nobody  didn't 
come,  an'  den  I  bumped  it  hard,  an'  bimeby  a  white  'oman 
come — one  o'  dem  ole  sort  wid  cork-screw  curls  all  'roun' 
— an'  she  axed  me  what  I  was  kickin'  up  a  racket  for, 
an'  what  I  want ;  and  when  I  tole  her,  she  tuck  de  basket 
out'n  my  hand,  an'  told  me  to  go  'long  home  ;  an'  I  tole 
her  I'd  wait  for  de  answer,  an'  she  tole  me  dar  wan't  no 
answer,  an'  to  git  up  an'  git ;  an'  wid  dat  she  shot  de  do' 
an'  locked  it.  I  was  mighty  perlite,  an'  waited  an' 
waited;  an'  bimeby  I  bumped  at  de  do'  agin,  an'  she 
come  dar,  mad  es  a  wet  hen,  an'  tole  me  to  biggone,  like 
I  was  a  dog  ;  an'  I  tole  her  I  wan't  gwine  to  take  my 
foot  ofPn  dat  po'cli  flo'  tell  I  got  de  answer  an'  my  basket, 
ef  I  had  to  stau'  dar  till  my  toes  took  root ;  and  wid  dat 
she  flounced  off,  she  did,  an'  come  a  prancin'  back  wid  de 
basket,  an'  pitched  it  at  me,  an'  shot  de  do'  right  in  my 
face  an'  locked  it,  an'  lef  me  stan'in'  dar  like  a  fool." 

''  Why,  Dick,"  said  Marienne,  amused  at  the  negro's 
expression  of  countenance,  "  she  hardly  treated  you  with 
civility ! " 

^'  Dat's  what  I  say ! "  responded  Dick,  with  energy ;  "  I 
got  mad  es  blazes,  an'  I  looked  all  'roun'  to  see  ef  dat 
nigger  Dolfus  Jones  wan't  peepin'  'roun'  de  corner,  laffin' 
'bout  it ;  an'  if  I'd  seen  him,  dar  would  o'  been  one 
par  o'  black  eyes  at  dat  'Theneum  a  heap  blacker  dan  de 
good  Lawd  made  'em  ! " 

"I  hope  you  would  not  have  made  a  disturbance, 
Dick,"  said  Marienne,  reprovingly.  "  I  fancy  you  were 
disappointed  at  not  seeing  Jane,"  she  added,  laughingly ; 


204         THj:   DARLING   IMAGE   IN   PLASTIC   CLAY. 

"  it  may  be  that  they  suspect  you  of  a  desire  to  elope  with 
her/' 

"  Lawcl,  miss  ! ''  replied  Dick,  with  a  bashful  grin, 
"  what  bisness  is  niggers  got,  wid  'lopin  ?  Dem's  white 
folks's  capers  !  But,  to  tell  de  troof,  I  had  sorter  set  my 
min'  on  seein'  Jane,  an'  it's  cur'ous  dat  she  wan't  spyin' 
'roun'  no  whar." 

Marienne  was  much  disturbed  by  Dick's  account  of 
the  uncivil  reception  of  her  floral  offering,  but  felt 
assured  that  Miss  Seymour  had  received  it  in  quite  -a 
different  spirit.  The  lines  of  her  face  grew  hard,  and  a 
deep  red  spot  burned  upon  either  cheek,  as  she  thought  of 
the  probable  cause  of  the  uncivility  of  the  household 
authorities  to  her  messenger.  But  she  continued  to  send 
Dick,  morning  after  morning,  w^ith  the  choicest  flow^ers, 
in  accordance  with  ]Mr.  Stew^art's  request,  yet  with  no 
better  results  than  at  first. 

"  I  don't  keer  nothin'  'bout  dat  sassy  ole  white  'oman," 
said  Dick,  one  day,  after  having  returned,  as  usual,  without 
getting  a  sight  of  Jane,  "  but  I  des  wish  dey'd  sen'  dat 
Dolfus  to  de  do'  one  time  !  I'd  make  him  pay  for  all  de 
sassyness  of  dat  ole  cork-screw  'oman !  Arter  I  got 
throo'  wdd  him  dar  w^ouldn't  be  five  cents'  wuf  o'  dat 
whole  fifteen-hundred-dollar  nigger  left !  An'  it's  mighty 
cur'ous  dat  nobody  never  does  see  Jane  nowhar  !  " 

Eight  days  elapsed  before  Mr.  Stewart  returned,  alone 
and  looking  much  jaded  and  travel-worn.  He  informed 
Marienne  that  he  had  heard  from  Fox,  who  was  prob- 
ably at  that  time  in  Little  Hock,  and  would  return  by 
way  of  Jackson,  Mississippi.  Marienne  told  him  what 
she  knew  of  Miss  Seymour,  or,  rather,  what  Dick  had 
gathered  from  common  rumor  in  Barrensville,  that  she 
was  quite  ill  from  nervous  prostration.     She  also  gave 


"dick  anticipates  fun.'  205 

him  Dick's  account  of  the  manner  in  Avhich  he  and  the 
flowers  he  had  carried  each  day  had  been  received. 
Without  a  moment  of  unnecessary  delay,  the  young  man 
ordered  the  phaeton  to  be  brought  out  to  take  him  to 
Barrensville,  and  went  to  his  room  to  change  his 
attire. 

"  Monsieur,"  said  Marienne,  stopping  him  in  the  hall, 
"  I  feel  it  to  be  proper  for  me  to  tell  you  that  Dr.  Hansel 
does  not  believe  the  history  I  gave  him  of  my  diamond.'' 

"  Well,  what  of  it  ?  "  asked  the  young  man,  looking  at 
her  w^onderingly.  "  What  does  he  believe  with  reference 
to  it?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  replied  the  poor  girl,  while  a  hot  flush 
overspread  her  features,  and  angry  tears  came  into  her 
eyes.  "  He  asked  me  if  it  was  not  a  very  costly  present 
for  a  gentleman  to  give  a  dependent." 

'^  Ah  !  the  old But,  never  mind,  my  poor  girl ;  recol- 
lect the  adage  of  your  people :  Honi  soit  qui  mat  y 
peiise;^^  said  the  young  man,  soothingly,  as  he  proceeded 
to  his  room. 

Dick  required  but  a  few  minutes  to  harness  the  horses 
and  bring  around  the  phaeton.  Indeed,  he  went  at  it 
with  such  alacrity  and  eagerness  that,  disdaining  to  go 
around  to  the  gate,  he  leaped  the  lot  fence  at  a  clear  bound, 
and  as  he  put  on  the  first  bridle,  he  said,  as  if  speaking  to 
the  horse : 

"  Hurry  up.  Mars'  Chyarles  is  goin'  to  Barrensville ! 
Hooray  !  Now  him  an'  dat  ole  cork-screw  'oman  fer  it ! 
I'd  give  a  dollar  to  see  her  cave  when  he  turns  up  dat 
nose  at  her  !  Yah  !  yah  !  yah  !  An'  ef  I  could  des  ketch 
dat  Dolfus,  out  at  de  front  gate !  Wake  snakes ;  oh, 
lordy ;  you  bet ! "  and  squaring  himself,  he  made  vigorous 
prelusive  feints  with  his  fists  at  the  horse's  uose,  winding 


206         THE   DARLING   IMAGE   IN   PLASTIC   CLAY. 

up  with  a  high  kick  against  the  bottom,  of  the  feed  trough, 
which  hurled  the  corn-cobs  up  to  the  ceiling,  and  caused 
the  horse  to  start  back  with  a  snort. 

Impatient  as  the  young  man  was,  he  was  not  under  the 
necessity  of  urging  his  driver ;  and  the  bays  glided  over 
the  space,  as  Dick  exj)ressed  it,  fairly  "  sweepin'  de  duss' 
out'n  de  road.''  On  ringing  at  the  Atheneum  he  was 
detained  but  a  few  moments  before  a  demure-looking 
female  drew  the  door  half  open  and  demanded  his  card, 
with  a  corporal-of-the-guard  air. 

"I  left  home  hurriedly,"  said  the  young  man,  pleas- 
antly, "  and  have  no  card.  My  name  is  Stewart,  and  I 
desire  to  see  Miss  Seymour  and  Dr.  Hansel." 

^'I  will  take  your  name  up,  sir,"  said  the  female, 
staring  at  him  as  she  commenced  to  close  the  door. 

"  How  is  Miss  Seymour  ?  "  asked  the  young  man,  step- 
ping into  the  opening,  and  pushing  the  door  fully  open. 

"  Beg  pardon,  sir,"  said  the  woman,  with  a  show  of 
confused  anger,  "  she  does  not  wish  to  be  disturbed  Will 
you  have  a  seat  in  the  hall  till  I  return  ?  " 

"'^0,  thank  you,"  replied  the  young  man,  with  a 
pleasant  smile,  "  I  shall  await  Dr.  Hansel  in  the  public 
parlor.     I  know  the  way,  and  will  not  trouble  you." 

As  Mr.  Stewart  ascended  to  the  parlor  the  servant  went 
in  an  opposite  direction,  evidently  not  in  an  amiable  mood. 
Fully  ten  minutes  elapsed  before  she  made  her  appearance 
at  the  parlor  door,  with  the  message  that  Dr.  Hansel  was 
engaged,  and  begged  to  be  excused. 

"  Certainly,  certainly,"  said  the  yoimg  man,  as  his  face 
colored  slightly.  "  Say  to  Dr.  Hansel  that  I  am  in  no 
haste  myself,  and  will  await  his  leisure.  Will  you  do  me 
the  favor  to  bring  me  the  latest  paper  ?" 

Without  returning  an  answer  the  woman  slammed  the 


"  TERRIBLE   CARNAGE  !  '^  207 

door  and  retired,  but  in  a  few  minutes  the  door  was 
opened  by  Dr.  Hansel  himself. 

"  I  hope  you  will  excuse  me^  Mr.  Stewart/^  said  the  old 
man,  with  stiff  politeness.  "  I  was  very  busily  engaged  with 
accounts,  sir — troublesome  business — hope  you're  well,  sir." 

"  Quite  well,  doctor,  thank  you/'  said  the  young  man, 
pleasantly.    "  How  are  Mrs.  Hansel  and  Miss  Seymour  ?'' 

^*  Miss  Seymour  is  quite  ill,  sir.  So  ill  that  we  have  to 
keep  all  noise  and  excitement  out  of  the  house,  sir.  By 
the  by,  I  suppose  you  have  heard  of  the  terrible  fight  at 
Great  Bethel  ? '' 

"  I've  heard  of  the  skirmish  there,"  replied  the  young 
man,  politely.     ^^  Who  is  Miss  Seymour's  physician,  sir  ?  " 

"  Well,"  said  the  old  man,  hesitatingly,  "  we  have  but 
little  faith  in  physic  for  nervous  prostration,  sir ;  time  and 
quiet,  sir,  time  and  quiet  and  a  little  fine  brandy,  are  the 
best  physic.  Major  Winthrop  and  thirty  others  were 
killed,  and  over  one  hundred  wounded  at  Great  Bethel  by 
the  rebels.  But  our  New  England  boys  did  terrible 
execution,  and  fought  till  they  grew  weary  of  slaughter." 

"  Ah  ! "  replied  the  young  man,  "  Our  Magruder  was 
there,  and  if  he  had  been  anything  of  a  philanthropist  he 
would  have  put  up  his  pipe  and  prevented  the  carnage. 
He  lost  eight  of  his  own  men." 

"  Eight,  indeed  !  He  lost  over  a  thousand  actually 
killed,  besides  his  wounded  !  I  have  it  from  one  of  our 
own  papers." 

"  Then  your  information  must  be  reliable.  Magruder's 
report  gives  only  one  actually  killed  and  seven  wounded, 
but,  perhaps,  he  made  a  miscount.  His  force  was  only 
eighteen  hundred ;  so,  I  suppose,  if  your  account  be 
cdrrect,  there  is  none  left  but  Magruder.'^ 

"  Very  few,  if  any,  sir ;  for  we  had  five  thousand  troops 


208         THE   DAELIXG   IMAGE   IN   PLASTIC   CLAY. 

there^  all  from  ^ew  England,  and  it  is  impossible  to 
imagine  less  slaughter  than  that  I  give,  considering  the 
fact  that  Ne^Y  Englanders  are  always  reckless  and  daring 
when  they  meet  a  foe.'' 

^^  It  seems  so,  doctor,  provided  the  foe  is  not  a  foreign 
one.  In  that  case  it  seems  thev  are  afraid  to  trust  their 
reckless,  daring  spirits  lest  the  enemy  should  be  extermi- 
nated ;  so  they  stay  at  home  with  singular  unanimity." 

"  AYhat  do  you  mean,  sir  ?  Didn't  we  furnish  three- 
fourths  of  the  troops  that  fought  the  war  of  independence?" 

^'  By  no  means.  New  England  furnished  about  one- 
sixteenth  the  number  of  troops  you  have  been  led  to  sup- 
pose by  your  histories." 

"  Indeed  !  Then  I  am  to  infer  that  you  accuse  our  his- 
tories of  stating  fiilsehoods  ?  " 

"  They  make  a  false  impression  by  leading  one  to  sup- 
pose that  the  number  of  enlistments  represent  fairly  the 
number  of  troops  furnished  in  that  war  by  the  different 
states  or  sections." 

"  And  did  they  not  ?  " 

"  By  no  means.  The  New  England  people  refused — 
excepting  a  thousand  or  so — to  enlist  for  a  longer  period 
than  six  months  at  a  time ;  and  one  man  who  served  eight 
years  consequently  counted  for  sixteen  enlistments.  Divide 
the  number  of  troops  you  think  New  England  furnished 
by  sixteen  and  you  will  not  be  very  far  from  the  truth." 

"  I  know  our  troo]3S,  as  a  rule,  enlisted  for  six  months 
at  a  time ;  but  as  that  was  the  case  every  where  else,  the 
fact  does  not  disturb  the  relative  proportion  of  troops  fur- 
nished by  us." 

"  I  beg  pardon,  sir,  but  I  must  again  contradict  the 
impression  made  on  your  mind  by  your  histories.  The 
Southern  troops  enlisted  first  for  three  years,  and  then  for 


"peter  parley  axd  baron  mtjxchatjsex/'  209 

the  full  term  of  the  war.  So  in  order  to  find  the  number 
of  troops  furnished  by  the  South  for  eight  years  service, 
you  should  divide  the  number  of  enlistments  by  two. 
Our  Southern  people  have  been  very  much  to  blame  for 
allowing  the  ^  Peter  Parleys  ^  of  literature  to  write  all  the 
school  histories.  New  England  has  never,  against  a  for- 
eign foe,  raised,  equipped  and  sent  forward  her  troops 
with  one-tenth  the  alacrity,  impatient  haste  and  fierce  joy 
^dth  which  she  now  pours  them  out  to  invade  our  land 
and  destroy  our  homes.^' 

"She  poured* them  out  in  eighteen  hundred  and  twelve 
and  again  in  the  Mexican  war." 

"  Not  \ery  lavishly,  sir.  In  1812  the  six  New  England 
states  furnished,  to  be  exact,  5162  men,  and  the  little  and 
much-abused  state  of  South  Carolina  furnished  5696,  or 
over  500  more  than  all  of  New  England.  In  that  war 
the  entire  North  furnished  58,552  and  the  entire  South, 
with  a  smaller  population,  furnished  96,812,  or  not  very 
far  from  double  the  number — fully  double  considering  the 
populations.  In  the  Mexican  war,  Massachusetts  fur- 
nished 1047  men  and  all  the  other  New  England  states 
furnished  1534  men.  Plucky  little  South  Carolina  fur- 
nished 5262,  or  more  than  double  as  many  men  as  all  of 
New  England ;  while  the  entire  North  furnished  23,054 
men  and  the  entire  South  furnished  43,630  men.  This 
shows  the  South  to  have  furnished,  according  to  their 
respective  populations,  about  four  times  as  many  as  the 
North  for  the  Mexican  war." 

"  I  see,"  said  the  old  man  with  some  show  of  imjDatience, 
"  that  you  discredit  the  histories  of  the  Peter  Parleys,  and 
adopt  those  of  the  Baron  Munchausens." 

"  No,  sir ;  I  leave  both  to  those  who  can  be  '  pleased 
with  a  rattle — tickled  with  a  straw.'     I  get  my  facts  and 


210         THE   DARLING   IMAGE   IN   PLASTIC   CLAY. 

figures  from  the  archives  at  Washington.  If  our  people 
had  not  been  so  patriotic,  generous  and  chivalrous  in 
fighting  the  battles  of  the  Union,  and  in  compelling  respect 
for  the  flag  which  is  now  sought  to  be  made  the  emblem 
of  our  disgrace,  we  should  now  be  better  able  to  defend 
our  land  from  invasion,  and  our  homes  from  the  desecrat- 
ing hand  of  the  spoiler.  When  I  think  of  the  mad  haste 
with  which  New  England,  in  particular,  is  rushing  her 
men  into  Virginia,  1  am  reminded  of  a  gawi^y  boy  with 
whom,  in  my  youthful  days,  I  attended  a  primary  school. 
He  would  meanly  suifer  his  plucky  little  brother  to 
do  all  the  fighting  if  the  good  name  or  honor  of  the 
family  should  be  assailed,  and  then  beat  him  furiously 
if  he  persistently  claimed  a  fair  share  of  the  luncheon- 
pie." 

"  Ha  !  ha  !"  laughed  the  old  man,  with  seeming  amuse- 
ment. "You  are  facetious.  But  the  little  brother  is 
going  to  get  a  terrible  beating  this  time,  and  in  future  he 
will  not  be  allowed  to  have  any  of  the  pie  !" 

"  Ah !  doctor,"  replied  the  young  man,  sadly,  "  you 
philosophers  can  laugh  over  these  little  matters,  but  they 
make  men  in  the  South,  who  are  not  philosophers,  terribly 
angry.  Even  my  philosophy  cannot  so  far  subdue  the 
natural  instincts  of  humanity  as  to  arm  me  against  the 
feeling  that  I  had  rather  sleep  in  death  with  the  little 
brother — dead  of  injuries  and  starvation — than  to  affiliate 
with  the  big  one  as  he  swaggers  around  full  of  pie.  But, 
if  you  please,  we  will  not  speak  of  political  matters.  I 
desire  to  speak  of  Miss  Seymour.  You  are,  perhaps, 
aware,  sir,  that  she  is  my  affianced  wife." 

"  Ha  ! "  exclaimed  the  old  man,  growing  very  pale,  and 
tightly  compressing  his  lips,  as  he  leaned  over  to  recover 
a  pencil  which  had  dropped  upon  the  floor. 


"nipped  in  the  bud."  211 

"  It  was  my  desire/^  continued  the  young  man,  wdth 
some  embarrassment,  "  to  speak  to  you  and  to  Mrs.  Han- 
sel on  this  subject  much  sooner,  but  business  of  the 
utmost  importance  called  me  to  a  neighboring  state,  and  I 
returned  only  this  morning.  Miss  Seymour  has  not 
rejected  my  suit,  and '' 

"  I  have  heard  all  about  it,  sir "  interrupted  the  old 
man,  speaking  in  a  hard  cold  voice  as  if  reading  a 
"Whereas"  preamble  to  a  declaration  of  war,  "and  I 
must  say  that  it  was  hardly  in  keeping  with  your  avowed 
notions  of  so-called  chivalry  to  take  advantage  of  a  mere 
child  when  she  was  more  dead  than  alive  from  physical 
pain,  and  was  under  the  impression  that  you  had  saved 
her  life  instead  of  being  the  cause  of  her  injur}\" 

"  Sir  !  "  exclaimed  the  young  man,  springing  to  his  feet, 
with  pale  lips  and  flashing  eyes,  "  do  you  mean — what 
do  you  mean,  sir  !  " 

"Keep  your  seat,  Mr.  Stewart,"  said  the  old  man, 
quietly,  but  with  a  pallor  again  creeping  over  his  face. 
"  I  mean  that  Miss  Seymour  has  told  me  the  whole  affair ; 
that  she  believed  you  had  saved  her  life  instead  of  being 
the  cause  of  her  injury ;  that  believing  herself  bound  by 
what  she  had  spoken,  or  might  have  spoken,  for  aught 
she  knew  to  the  contrary,  while  unconscious,  from  physi- 
cal suffering,  of  the  meaning  of  her  words,  she  thought 
honor  compelled  her  to  adhere  to  what  she  might  have 
said,  and  she  consequently  bore  her  part  in  some  nonsens- 
ical talk  T\^th  you  on  the  night  before  we  left  your  house ; 
that  she  now  sees  fully  how  repugnant  to  her  is  the  thought 
of  marrying  any  one  for  years  to  come ;  and  that  she  has 
never  cared  for  any  but  her  cousin,  Frank  Conrad,  whom 
she  has  regarded  with  very  warm  feelings  from  her  child- 
hood." 


212         THE   DAELIXG   OIAGE   IX   PLASTIC   CLAY. 

"  My  God,  sir  !   it  is  all  as  false  as "     The  young 

man  checked  his  utterance  and  covered  his  forehead  with 
his  hand,  in  a  dazed  sort  of  way.'' 

"I  hoj^e,  sir/'  said  the  old  man,  with  mock  meekness, 
"  you  will  permit  me  now  to  ask  what  you  mean  ! " 

"  I  do  not  mean,  sir,"  said  the  young  man,  impulsively, 
"  to  insult  you  if  I  can  avoid  doing  so.  I  have  not  known 
Miss  Seymour  for  only  a  day,  or  a  month,  oi'  a  year.  I 
have  known  her  long  enough  to  become  fully  conscious  of 
the  fact  that  she  is  as  pure  and  guileless  as  the  angels  in 
heaven  ;  and  if  one  of  those  pure  spirits  should  come  and 
repeat  your  words,  still  ]\Iiss  Seymom-'s  repetition  of  them 
would  be  necessary  to  command  by  belief.  I  claim  the 
right  to  hear  Miss  Seymour  speak  with  her  own  lips  on 
that  subject." 

^^  That  is  a  right  which  cannot  be  accorded  you,  sir," 
said  the  old  man,  positively ;  and  added,  feelingly,  "  My 
God,  sir,  what  would  you  have?  AVould  you  kill  the 
child  outright  ?  Is  it  not  enough  that  she  is  half  dead 
now  from  grief  and  mortification  ?  Poor  child  !  she  feels 
the  deepest  sympathy  and  pity  for  you ;  and  censures 
herself  for  having  allowed  you  to  deceive  yourself.  You 
cannot  be  permitted  to  harrow  her  feelings.  An  inter- 
^4ew  in  her  present  state  of  mind  would  be  attended  with 
the  most  serious  consequeuces." 

^^  I  can  wait,  sir,  indeed,  I  insist  on  waiting,  till  she 
shall  be  strong  enough  to  repeat  your  words,  if  it  be  her 
will  to  do  so." 

"Waiting  will  avail  nothing,  sir,  except  to  keep  the 
poor  child  in  her  present  state  of  nervous  excitement,  and 
I  desire  to  have  this  thing  ended  at  once  and  put  at  rest 
forever.  Miss  Seymour  is  of  a  particularly  sensitive 
nature,  and  I  made  up  my  mind  several  days  since  that 


"NOTHING  IS  BEAUTIFUL  BUT  TRUTH."  213 

my  duty  in  the  present  precarious  state  of  her  health 
demanded  that  I  should  sacrifice  my  interests  here  for  a 
short  time,  and  take  her  out  of  the  country  if  you  deter- 
mined to  persist  in  this  matter.  I  should  have  done  this 
at  once  had  she  not  suggested  that  you  intended  going  to 
the  war  in  a  few  days,  and  would  call,  if  at  all,  ojily  to 
take  leave.'^ 

"  AYell,  then,  can  I  see  her  to  take  my  final  leave  ?  For 
I  shall  leave  for  the  seat  of  war  on  Monday." 

"  IMy  God  !  sir,  no  !  I  cannot  consent  to  jeopardize  the 
child^s  life  only  to  gratify  a  whim.'' 

"  Miss  Seymour  is  aware  of  the  fact  that  I  am  in  the 
house,  I  presume ;  would  you  object  to  taking  a  note  to 
her  from  me  ?  " 

"  Not  in  the  least,  sir,''  replied  the  old  man,  with  alac- 
rity. ^^  I  regret  that  you  cannot  take  leave  in  person,  as 
you  desire  it  so  greatly,  but  I  must  perform  my  duty  to 
her." 

Mr.  Stewart  tore  a  fly-leaf  from  a  book  on  the  table  by 
his  side,  and,  after  writing  a  few  lines  hmTiedly,  folded  it 
and  handed  it  to  the  old  man,  with  the  request : 

"  Please  ask  Miss  Seymour  to  send  the  reply  in  her  own 
handwTiting." 

The  old  man  received  the  missive  in  silence,  and  imme- 
diately left  the  room.  Minutes  seemed  hours  to  the 
young  man,  but  finally,  after  the  lapse,  as  it  seemed  to 
him,  of  half  a  day,  the  door  opened  softly,  and  Dr. 
Hansel  handed  him  a  gilt-edge  missive  without  envelope. 
Turning  to  the  window,  with  his  back  to  the  old  man,  he 
unfolded  the  paper  and  read  the  penciled  lines  : 

"  It  is  even  so  I    Nothing  is  beautiful  but  truth. 

"  Yours, 

"  Florence,  Q.  B.  S.  M." 
U 


214         THE   DARLING  IMAGE  IN  PLASTIC  CLAY. 

The  young  man  gazed  at  the  words  and  letters  as  if 
unable  to  take  in  any  part  of  the  meaning  so  plainly  con- 
veyed ;  wondered,  in  a  dazed  sort  of  way,  what  Q.  B.  S.  M. 
might  be  intended  to  indicate ;  asked  himself  if  Dr.  Hansel 
were  such  a  man  as  could  be  guilty  of  forgery,  and  felt 
ashamed  of  the  vulgar  suspicion,  as  he  admitted  that  the 
beautiful,  round,  smooth,  unfashionable  hand,  every  flourish 
of  which  he  knew  and  loved,  could  not  be  counterfeited. 
He  noticed  that  she  had  rubbed  out  half  a  line  after  the 
word  "truth,"  and  that  the  "s"  and  the  comma  to 
"  yours  "  were  darker  than  the  balance  of  the  writing,  thus 
indicating  that  they  were  made  when  the  point  of  the 
pencil  was  moist  from  contact  with  her  lips.  Pressing  that 
part  of  the  sheet  to  his  own  lips,  he  muttered  to  himself : 
"Nothing  is  beautiful  but  truth — and  Florence  is  Truth! 
Ah !  why  didn't  the  poor  little  darling  image  in  plastic 
clay  add  that,  or  else  add :  '  And  nothing  is  true  but 
heaven  ? '  Poor  little  dear,  I  know  her  heart  is  wrung, 
as  well  as  mine,  and  I  know  it  is  not  in  her  pure  heart  to 
judge  harshly ;  but  the  serpent  has  come  into  my  Eden — 
into  our  Eden — and  only  time,  the  great  alchemist,  can 
show  her  pure  gold  w^here  this  suspicious  and  unfriendly 
old  man  has  made  her  believe — no ;  fear — that  there  is 
only  dross.'' 

Then,  turning  to  the  old  man,  he  said : 

"Doctor,  can  you  tell  me  what  ^Q.  B.  S.  M.'  may 
stand  for  ?  The  Spaniards  have  a  custom  of  sometimes 
affixing  those  letters  after  their  signatures  to  signify  ^  Qui 
Bueso  Sus  Manos — Who  kisses  your  hands.'  Could 
you  stab  a  man  to  the  heart,  and  then  hand  his  bleeding 
corpse  ^  Q.  B.  S.  M.'  traced  with  the  point  of  your  drip- 
ping dagger?  " 

"No,  sir,"  replied  the  old  man,  looking  at  his  com- 


"  PHILOSOPHEES   AEE    FALLIBLE."  215 

panion  curiously ;  "  I  could  not  stab  a  man  to  the  heart  at 
all!" 

"No,  of  course  not — not  to  his  physical  heart  with  a 
material  dagger!  Doctor,  ^nothing  is  beautiful  but 
truth ' — the  Italian  proverb  you  know,  '  rem  n'est  beau/ 
etc. — and  nothing  is  true  but  heaven !  " 

"  Truth  is  beautiful  and  heaven  is  true,"  replied  the 
old  man,  sententiously,  still  regarding  the  young  man 
curiously. 

"  That  would  be  a  fine  text  for  a  sermon,  doctor.  Think 
how  you  could  amplify  on  the  beauty  of  truth  as  exem- 
plified in  the  divine  spirit,  and  how  you  could  heap  up 
cloud-piercing  monuments  of  eloquent  anathema  upon  that 
miserable  libel  which  we  call  humanity.  Let  me  advise 
you,  doctor,  to  take  that  as  a  text  for  your  next  sermon." 

"I  select  my  texts  only  from  the  Holy  Scriptures,  sir," 
repli^  the  old  man,  stiffly. 

"  Ah !  Well,  as  you  can't  preach  a  sermon  from  it, 
let  me  suggest  that  you  suffer  it  to  flit  through  your  mind 
occasionally  during  your  moments  of  prayer,  when  laying 
bare  the  impulses  of  your  heart  before  Him  who  reads 
the  innermost  secrets  of  your  soul." 

"  Sir ! "  exclaimed  the  old  man,  with  stern  indignation, 
"  I  do  not  understand  you  ! " 

"  Then,  I  fancy,  we  philosophers  are  fallible  in  intel- 
lect, as  well  as  in  impulse  and  inspiration,  like  commoner 
mortals,  and  I  will  take  my  leave.  Farewell,  doctor,  we 
may  never  meet  again  in  this  life,  but  it  is  my  prayer  that 
Heaven  may  deal  leniently  with  you." 

Before  the  old  man  had  recovered  from  his  astonish- 
ment and  indignation  sufficiently  to  frame  a  response  of 
leave-taking  suited  to  the  occasion,  the  young  man  was 
descending  the  broad  staircase  with  a  quick  and  nervous 


216         THE    DAELI^^G   IMAGE   IN   PLASTIC  CLAY. 

tread.  As  he  passed  out  into  the  open  air  a  soiled  kid 
glove,  from  which  the  fingers  had  been  cut,  fell  upon  the 
gravel  walk  in  front  of  him,  and  merry  peals  of  sup- 
pressed laughter,  proceeding  from  one  of  the  windows 
above,  revealed  to  him  the  whereabouts  of  his  merry  little 
cousins,  whose  bright  eyes  he  could  see  peering  through 
the  bars  of  the  closed  lattice.  Taking  off  his  hat,  and 
dropping  the  mutilated  glove — which  was  doubtless 
intended  to  represent  the  promised  mitten — into  it,  he 
kissed  his  hand  to  the  little  maidens,  and  spoke  in  a  tone 
of  voice  which  he  knew  would  carry  his  message  to  a  lofty 
window  around  the  adjacent  corner : 

^^I  bow  before  the  inevitable.  Good-bye,  my  little 
darling.  I  leave  for  the  war  on  Monday.  Should  we 
meet  no  more  in  this  life,  in  heaven  we  shall  know  that 
^  beautiful  truth '  has  not  been  without  its  personification 
on  earth  !     Farewell ! "  ^ 

The  merry  little  maidens,  as  they  quickly  disappeared 
from  the  window  on  hearing  the  sound  of  their  cousin's 
voice,  lest  they  should  be  detected  by  the  school  authori- 
ties in  a  gross  violation  of  rules,  did  not  notice  that  the 
word  of  endearment  was  used  in  the  singular — indeed 
they  did  not  tarry  to  hear  any  part  of  the  valediction. 
But  the  poor,  heart-sore,  double  victim  of  falsehood  and 
misunderstanding,  lying  upon  a  bed  near  the  elevated 
window,  whose  sash  was  raised  to  admit'  the  cooling 
breeze ;  whose  every  sense,  on  this  morning  in  particular, 
was  painfully  acute,  noticed  the  fact,  and  covering  her 
head  with  a  pillow,  to  smother  the  sound  of  her  grief,  she 
sobbed  aloud  in  mortal  agony  of  heart  torture. 

As  Dick  opened  the  door  of  the  phaeton  for  the  master, 
the  voune  man  noticed  that  his  coat  was  torn  in  the  skirt 
and  untidy  in  appearance  generally,  but  they  had  passed 


"gettestg  even/' 


217 


througli  the  town,  and  were  sweeping  along  the  level, 
sandy  road  in  the  shade  of  the  forest,  before  his  mmd 
recurred  to  the  matter,  and  he  asked : 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  your  coat,  Dick  ?  " 

"Well,  sar,  I'll  tell  you,''  replied  the  negro,  turning  his 
face  so  that  the  master  could  see  only  the  back  of  his 
head;  "I  was  talkin'  to  Mr.  Pryor's  Dan,  an'  'long  come 
dat  'Dolfus,  wid  a  wheelbarrer,  haulifi'  trash  out'n  de 
yard ;  an'  he  flung  sassy  eyes  at  me,  an'  bimeby  he  let 
loose  some  slack  jaw,  an'  wid  dat  I  axed  Dan  Pry  or  to 
hoi'  my  bosses,  an'  I  lit  out  on  dat  nigger,  an'  I  made  de 
nose-juice  fly  wuss'n  a  town  pump;  an'  when  I  got 
through  wid  him  he  looked  like  a  rag  doll  baby  dat  had 
done  bin  through  a  cot'n  beater." 

"Why,  Dick,''  said  the  young  man,  with  a  sickly 
attempt  at  a  smile,  "  I  am  surprised  at  you  to  be  making 
a  row  where  Jane  may  have  seen  you !  And  besides,  I 
thought  you  and  Adolphus  were  good  friends." 

"  Well,  sir,  I  thought  maybe  Jane  was  peepin'  out'n  de 
winder  at  me,  and  dat's  one  reason  I  fit  so  savigrous,  an' 
I  des  wanted  to  let  somebody  know  who's  what." 


Dick. 


CHAPTER  Xy. 

The  Habp  is  on  the  Willow. 

"  Farewell !  there's  but  one  pang  in  death. 
One  only.'' — Mrs.  Hemans. 

"  Sick  of  this  had  world, 
The  daylight  and  the  sun  grow  painful  /  " — Addison's  Cato. 

WHEN  Mr.  Stewart  arrived  at  home,  he  noticed  that 
JNIarienne  was  excited  and  nervous,  and  that  she 
spoke  with  hesitancy,  as  she  asked : 

"  How  is  Miss  Seymour,  Monsieur  ?  " 

"  Not  so  well  to-day,  but  not  seriously  sick,  I  hope," 
replied  the  young  man,  evasively.  "  Dr.  Hansel  is  in 
vigorous  health — I  did  not  see  the  old  lady — and  my  little 
cousins  are  as  bright  and  saucy  as  usual.  I  did  not  bid 
the  latter  a  formal  adieu,  and  when  I  leave  I  shall  ask  you 
to  send  them  a  basket  of  flowers,  with  a  magnolia  for  Miss 
Seymour." 

"  Will  you  go  away  again  so  soon  ?  " 

"  Oh  yes  ;  I  must  leave  on  Monday  for  Virginia.  The 
trouble  will  soon  begin  in  earnest,  and  it  behooves  the  lag- 
gards, who  are  men,  to  delay  no  longer  to  put  themselves 
where  each  may  do  a  man's  duty." 

^'  Will  you  not  wait  for  Cesare  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Fox  will  be  here,  no  doubt,  to-morrow ;  but  he 
will  not  go  with  me.  He  can  do  the  cause  better  service 
at  home,  looking  after  the  affairs  which  now  engage  him, 
than  I  can  hope  to  do  in  the  field.     But  I  have  promised 

218 


"preparing  for  departure."  219 

Dick  that  he  shall  go,  and  he  is  wild  with  joy  at  the 
thought.  By  the  by,  please  see  that  mammy  has  his 
clothes  ready  by  Monday.  To-morrow  being  Sunday  she 
will  have  no  time  to  lose." 

"  Monsieur,"  said  Marienne,  timidly,  "  will  you  allow 
me  to  pack  the  diamond  with  your  valuables.  I  feel  that 
in  my  possession  it  has  talismanic  powers  for  evil,  and  I 
desire  never  to  see  it  again." 

"Oh  no,"  laughed  the  young  man,  "you  must  not 
yield  to  such  morbid  fancies.  Keep  your  gem,  but  keep 
it  concealed.  The  time  may  come — who  knows  what  may 
be  before  us — when,  by  its  money  value,  it  may  do  you 
inestimable  service." 

Without  replying,  Marienne  left  the  room  to  begin  the* 
preparations  for  the  departure  on  Monday.  Going  to  a 
closet  up  stairs  in  which  were  kept  many  odds  and  ends, 
she  drew  out  a  full-skirted  Indian  hunting  blouse,  made 
of  thick,  well-tanned,  buckskin,  and  profusely  ornamented 
with  wampum  of  various  gaudy  colors,  which  Mr.  Stewart 
had  worn  at  the  previous  ]\Iardi  Gras  masquerade  in  New 
Orleans.  Concealing  the  substantial  garment  in  a  sheet 
of  cotton-batting,  she  hastened  down  to  mammy^s  house, 
where  the  two  sat  working  till  supper  time;  and  after 
supper  till  mammy  exclaimed  : 

"  Dar  !  de  roosters  is  crowin^  for  midnight.  It's  Sunday, 
honey  !  Stop  your  needle  right  dar,  an'  let  it  stick.  We'll 
git  up  'fore  day  Monday  an'  finish  de  job." 

As  Mr.  Stewart  desired  to  leave  quietly,  he  went  on 
horseback  to  take  leave  of  his  uncle  and  a  few  other 
friends  and  neighbors,  on  the  next  morning,  and  made  it 
convenient  to  call  at  Bethel  church  and  hear  the  conclu- 
sion of  the  services,  after  which  he  had  a  long  private 
talk  with  Peter  Dillard.     On  returning  home  he  found 


220  THE  HARP  IS  ON  THE  WILLOW. 

Fox  already  arrived,  and  the  two  sat  up  during  the  entire 
night,  talking  of  business  and  other  matters  and  writing 
numerous  letters. 

When  the  morning  arrived,  no  sturdy  laborers  were  heard 
going  to  the  field  with  merry  shouts  or  loud-voiced  songs, 
and  the  few  seen  passing  about  wore  solemn  countenances, 
as  if  Sunday  were  holding  over,  and  they  were  getting 
their  minds  into  proper  trim  for  one  of  Brother  Elliott's 
most  earnest  sermons.  As  soon  as  breakfast  was  over, 
they  congregated  in  the  front  yard  and  lounged  about  on 
the  green  turf,  making  quite  a  hero  of  Dick  while  they 
awaited  the  young  master's  movements.  After  ^Ir.  Stew- 
art had  taken  leave  of  Marienne,  and  had  received  mammy's 
tearful  and  sobbing  vale-benediction,  he  was  met  on  the 
front  porch  by  Dick  going  to  take  leave  of  those  in  the 
house. 

"  Why,  Dick,"  he  asked,  seeing  that  individual  dressed 
in  a  substantial  buckskin  jacket,  ^Svhere  did  you  get 
that  ?  " 

"Well,  sar,  you  see,''  replied  the  grinning  darkie, 
"mammy  an' marmsell  made  it  out  'n  dat  fine  Injun  huntin' 
shirt  o'  yourn.  Marmsell  says  it's  de  coat  o'  many  colors 
from  mammy,  but  she  has  done  ripped  off  all  de  colors. 
Dey  says  dis  jacket  has  got  to  last  eudurin'  o'  de  war  an' 
I  mean  to  wear  it  back  here  ef  de  war  lasts  forty  years." 

Uncle  George  met  the  young  master  at  the  front  steps, 
and,  as  spokesman  for  all  the  rest,  expressed  profound 
regret  that  he  was  called  away  on  so  perilous  an  under- 
taking, and  gave  fervent  utterance  to  the  hope  that  He 
who  had  numbered  the  hairs  of  his  head  would  take  him 
into  His  keeping  and  return  him  to  his  friends  and  home. 

In  reply  the  young  man  thanked  him  and  all  present 
for  the  kind  feelings  and  ^vishes  expressed ;  bespoke  for 


a  r^r^r^^     -r.-trr:^  " 


GOOD  BTE."  221 

Fox  the  same  kind  feelings  always  vouchsafed  to  himself; 
besought  all  to  keep  cool  heads  no  matter  what  might 
occur  in  the  future,  and  to  take  care  of  the  women  and 
children  under  all  circumstances ;  addressed  a  few  pleasant 
remarks  to  the  dusky  maidens  and  stalwart  youths,  which 
caused  the  former  to  indulge  in  pleased  but  bashful 
snickers,  while  the  latter  uttered  lusty  shouts  of  laughter 
and  applause,  shook  hands  with  all,  amid  a  perfect 
Babel  of  tongues,  and  mounted  his  horse,  which  had  been 
brought  into  the  front  yard. 

"Mars'  Chyarles,''  called  Uncle  George,  leaving  the 
crowd,  who  were  putting  Dick  through  an  affectionate 
ordeal  of  leave-taking,  "  I  wants  to  say  one  mo'  word 
'bout  Dick,  sar.  INIy  brother  what  went  wid  your  pa  to 
de  Mexican  war  says  dat  a  nigger  is  a  heap  more  liabler 
to  git  hit  by  dem  cannon  balls  dan  de  white  folks  is.  He 
said  when  your  pa  got  shot  an'  he  went  wdd  de  amber- 
lanch  so'jers  to  bring  'im  out,  all  de  cannon  balls  dat  was 
shot  at  'em  come  right  straight  for  him,  an'  he  had  to  keep 
dodgin'  an'  hoppin''  'round  to  keep  from  bein'  kilt 
entirely ;  an'  all  dat  time  de  white  so'gers  didn't  have  to 
even  dodge  nary  time,  an'  dat  he  don't  b'lieve  a  cannon 
ball  come  in  a  hundred  yards  of  'em ;  an'  es  a  nigger  is 
so  liable  to  get  hit,  sar,  I  hope  you'll  keep  your  eye  on 
dat  boy." 

"  All  right.  Uncle  George,"  replied  the  young  man, 
gravely  ;  "  there  will  be  danger,  and  I  shall  keep  a  lookout 
for  Dick." 

"  Good-bye,  daddy,"  said  Dick,  coming  up  at  the 
moment,  evidently  much  pleased  by  the  attention  that  had 
been  bestowed  upon  him  by  the  plantation  belles.  "  You 
needn't  be  oneasy  'bout  us  ;  \\-e's  so'gers  now,  me  an'  Mars' 
Chyarles  is,  an'  we  has  to  'bey  orders.      Mars'  Chyarles 


222  THE   HAEP  IS  ON  THE  WILLOW. 

will  'bey  de  boss  gineral  an'  I'll  'bey  him.  Ef  he  says 
^  Lay  low,  Dick  ! '  I's  gwine  to  burrer  in  de  groun'  like 
a  gopher  ;  an'  ef  he  says  '  Up  an'  skelp  dem  abolitioners, 
Dick  ! '  I's  gwine  to  snatch  har  wuss  dan  a  match  cott'n 
pickin." 

"  Humph  ! "  grunted  Uncle  George,  as  he  watched  the 
two  ^^so'gers  "  galloping  down  the  East  road,  accompanied 
by  Fox,  "  I  wonder  ef  dat  young  nigger  thinks  dem  aboli- 
tioners is  gwine  to  hold  still  for  him  to  skelp  'em  ?" 

"  Ole  'oman,"  he  called  to  mammy,  who  had  come  out 
on  the  piazza  to  wave  her  red  bandanna  at  the  departing 
horsemen,  ^'  ef  dat  young  nigger  o'  yourn  don't  git  kilt,  or 
else  come  back  here  totin'  a  cannon  ball  inside  of  'im, 
it'll  be  because  de  young  marster  beats  mo'  sense  into  dat 
cymlin  head  o'  his'n  dan  he's  got  in  dar  now  ! " 

"  What  'pon  de  face  o'  de  yearth  is  you  talkin'  'bout, 
Gyawge ! "  exclaimed  the  old  woman,  arresting  her 
bandanna  in  mid  air  and  gazing  in  indignant  astonish- 
ment at  her  lord.  "  Is  you  done  los'  what  little  sense 
you  is  got  ?  Did  de  young  marster  ever  beat  a  suck-aig 
dog,  let  'lone  his  ole  mammy's  own  born  chile  ! " 

"  Oh,  dry  up,  ole  'oman,"  said  the  old  man,  remon- 
stratingly  ;  ''  don't  you  talk  'bout  beaten  'sense  into  fokeses 
heads  an'  den  say  it's  a  figger  o'  speech  ?  " 

"  Well,  sposin  I  does  !  what  bisness  has  you  to  be 
flingin'  your  figgers  o'  speech  at  dem  blessed  lams,  an' 
maby  we  won't  never  see  nary  one  of  'em  no  mo' — no 
mo' !  "  And  the  old  woman  covered  her  face  with  the 
bandanna,  and  burst  into  audible  sobs  as  the  party  passed 
out  of  sio;ht. 

"  Well,  fokes,"  said  Uncle  George,  knowing  how  easily 
the  chords  of  sympathy  are  made  to  vibrate  in  the  breasts 
of  his  impressible  race,  and  fearing  a  scene  with  mammy 


"the  soldiees  of  peace/'  223 

as  the  leader  of  the  mourners,  "  dey  is  all  out  o'  sight  an' 
its  no  use  to  be  moanin'  an'  groanin'.  AYe's  all  in  de 
hans  o'  de  good  Lawd,  an'  He  watches  even  de  sparrers 
when  dey  falls.  Dar  mus'  be  wars  an'  rumors  o'  war ; 
an'  fokes  will  fite  an'  kill  one  another  till  de  merlenium 
comes  !  Death  is  in  de  a'r,  an'  de  smell  o'  death  is  on  de 
breeze !  De  rivers  may  run  wid  blood,  an'  de  sun  an'  de 
moon  an'  de  stars  may  rain  down  blood,  but  dem  dat 
lives  has  got  to  eat  an'  wear  close  all  de  same.  An'  for 
dem  de  good  Lawd  will  make  de  sun  to  keep  on  a  shinin', 
de  rains  to  keep  on  a  fallin',  an'  de  fruits  o'  de  yearth  to 
keep  on  a  growin' ;  bless  His  holy  name  !  An'  dat 
minds  me  dat  de  grass  an'  weeds  is  a  growin'  now,  an'  we 
a  standin'  here  idle  all  de  day ;  so  lets  '  forrard  march '  es 
Dick  says,  po'  boy  !  an  go  to  killin  grass  .an'  weeds  ;  an' 
I  speck  dat's  a  heap  safer  an'  profitabler  a  bisness  dan 
killen'  dem  abolitioners ;  dod-blast  'em  to  dingnation  ! " 

This  outlandish  oath  was  Uncle  George's  one  besetting 
sin.  Often  had  he  promised  mammy  that  it  should  never 
pass  his  lips  again,  and  its  use  had  become  so  unusual, 
and  the  old  man  had  become  so  dignified,  devotional  and 
even-tempered,  that  its  indulgence  never  failed  to  excite 
the  ever-alert  risibles  of  the  young  folks.  On  the  present 
occasion,  many  sly  w^inks  and  snickers  were  indulged  in 
at  the  old  man's  expense  as  the  soldiers  of  peace  prepared 
to  renew  the  onslaught  upon  the  weeds  and  tares.  They 
were  not  sentimental  philanthropists  of  the  reformed  and 
improved  Plymouth  Rock  pattern,  and  had  never  asked 
themselves  why  the  lusty  pests  should  not  be  suffered  to 
appropriate  all  that  they  could  get  of  the  abundant  fatness 
of  the  earth  and  the  free  sunlight  of  heaven. 

Mr.  Stewart,  after  spending  a  few  days  at  his  old  home, 
proceeded  to  Richmond,  where  he  found   that  Captain 


224  THE  HAKP  IS  ON  THE   WILLOW. 

Howard's  company  had  become  one  of  the  integers  to 
form  the  Ninth  Alabama  regiment,  and  had  been  sent  to 
General  Joseph  E.  Johnston,  at  Winchester.  Eepairing 
immediately  to  that  point,  he  enlisted  "  for  three  years, 
or  the  war,''  and  assumed  the  regular  duties  of  a  soldier. 
A  close  inspection  of  the  situation  was  saddening  to  the 
young  man  in  the  extreme.  Passion  at  the  North  had 
attained  a  white  heat,  and  all  opposition  to  "  the  supreme 
will  of  the  people"  was  as  feathery  down  in  a  fiery 
furnace.  Even  sober-sided  business  men,  merchants  and 
manufacturers,  whose  sensibilities  could  be  reached  only 
through  the  "pocket  nerve,"  joined  the  hue  and  cry. 
There  was  method  in  the  madness  of  the  hour.  It  was 
the  purpose  of  the  new  Confederacy -to  establish  a  tariff 
for  revenue  only,  and  the  petted  and  pampered  industrial 
"  infants "  of  the  North  fancied  they  saw  ruin  staring 
them  in  the  face  if  the  South  should  be  changed  from  a 
liberal  and  easy-going  customer  to  a  powerful  rival  in  the 
marts  of  the  world,  with  her  ports  free  of  any  unnecessary 
restrictions  upon  trade.  Their  imaginations  painted  Nor- 
folk as  the  successful  rival  of  New  York,  and  Charleston 
of  Boston,  while  New  Orleans  sat  as  the  future  *Queen 
City  of  the  Continent,  waving  the  golden  sceptre  of  com- 
mercial supremacy,  and  those  who  had  never  known  the 
poison  of  fanaticism  became,  if  possible,  even  more  angry 
than  the  fanatics  \  A  sudden  and  fierce  love  for  the 
South  developed  itself,  and  they  determined  to  hug  the 
"  clog  to  the  nation  "  to  their  fond  bosoms,  even  though 
their  embrace  should  entail  death.  They  solemnly  re- 
called to  mind  the  long-forgotten  affection  for  the  Southern 
sisters,  "  decrepit  old  Virginia,"  "  senile  Georgia,"  "  the 
garrulous  sisters  Carolina "  and  "  the  young  harlots 
tricked  out  in  ancient  finery ; "  and  love  for  the  "  glorious 


"excitement  at  the  rear."  225 

Union  of  the  Fathers"  came  to  know  neither  latitude  nor 
longitude  in  their  patriotic  bosoms.  But  deep  and  sincere 
as  was  this  newly-awakened  love,  the  appalling  financial 
prospect  of  the  immediate  future,  to  result  from  the 
expenditure  of  so  many  millions  in  bringing  about  a  loving 
embrace,  seemed  likely  to  cool  its  ardor  until  adroit 
affection  whispered  into  the  ears  of  the  bereaved :  "  The 
property  of  the  rebels  shall  pay  for  the  '  fatted  calf.^ " 
This  brilliant  and  characteristic  suggestion  gave  a  joyous 
ring  to  the  cry  of  "  On  to  Richmond,"  gave  new  zest  to 
the  paroxysm  of  patriotism  on  the  part  of  the  press,  and 
caused  the  masses  to  hug  themselves  with  joy  at  the  dis- 
covery of  a  balm  for  all  possible  hurts. 

As  the  young  man  fully  realized  the  position  of  affairs, 
and  saw  how  entirely  unprepared,  in  adequate  means  and 
equipments,  his  people  were  for  the  vigorous  and  gigantic 
plans  and  preparations  on  the  other  side,  his  heart  sank 
within  him.  But  the  time  had  come  for  action,  and  he 
joined  the  half-oxmed  mob  of  citizen-soldiers,  with  a  thrill 
of  enthusiasm  such  as  can  never  be  known  in  the  full  extent 
of  its  maddening  joy  save  to  him  who  joins  a  forlorn 
hope  to  do  deeds  of  reckless  and  almost  hopeless  daring. 

On  the  day  of  his  arrival  in  Winchester,  he  found  the 
town  in  a  perfect  furor  of  excitement.  Every  few 
moments  farmer's  boys  came  dashing  Into  the  town  on 
mules  or  plow-horses,  some  of  them,  in  the  hot  haste  of 
extreme  alarm,  using  their  felt  hats  to  quicken  the  sjieed 
of  their  blundering  chargers,  bringing  the  news  that 
Patterson  was  rapidly  advancing  with  an  army  "  ten  miles 
long  ! "  Old  men  seized  fowling-pieces  and  went  to  "  the 
front,"  only  a  couple  of  miles  distant,  while  boys  ran  up 
and  down  the  streets  offering  all  their  worldly  wealth  for 
"  anything  that  will  shoot." 


226  THE   HARP   IS   ON   THE   WILLOW. 

On  the  next  morning,  orders  were  issued  at  camp  to 
prepare  three  days  rations,  and  before  twelve  o'clock  the 
little  army,  to  the  great  surprise  of  themselves  and  the 
citizens,  had  turned  their  backs  on  Patterson  and  his  "  ten 
miles  '^  of  troops — leaving  them  to  the  tender  mercies  of 
the  frightened  plow-boys,  angry  old  men  and  enthusiastic 
urchins  still  hunting  for  "anything  that  will  shoot;'' 
and  soon  were  double-quicking  through  Asliby's  gap  of 
the  Blue  Eidge  on  their  way  to  reinforce  Beauregard's 
position,  near  Manassas  Junction,  which  was  about  to  be 
attacked  by  McDowell. 

As  the  little  force  made  their  way,  silently  and  swiftly, 
through  the  defiles  of  the  mountain,  those  whom  they 
were  to  oppose  were  moving  forward,  forty  miles  or  more 
away,  with  fierce  shouts  of  exuberant  valor  and  patriotic 
songs  and  hymns,  one  of  the  latter  having  the  remarkable 
refrain  : 

"John  BroA^Ti's  body  lies  mouldering  in  the  ground, 
But  his  soul  is  marching  on ! 
Oh,  Glory,  Hallelujah  !  Oh,  Glory,  Hallelujah! 
His  soul  is  marching  on  I  "  * 

While  in  their  rear  followed  wagons  loaded  with  wines 
and  supplies  for  a  grand  "  blow  out" — as  Senator  Wilson, 
of  Massachusetts,  styled  it — in  Richmond,  and  carriages 
filled  with  congressmen,  governors  of  states  and  female  rep- 
resentatives of  the  society  then  uppermost  at  Washington, 
carrying  opera  glasses,  to  give  them  a  view,  from  a  safe 
distance,  of  the  real  drama — named  a  little  too  soon — 
"  The  Crushing  of  the  Slave-Holding  Power." 

*  Letter  of  Mr.  Eussell,  war  correspondent  of  London  Times ;  issue 
of  Oct.  19th,  1861  :  That  impious  hymn  was  heard  in  every  part  of 
the  South  as  the  favorite  of  a  class  in  every  Federal  army. 


"a  mysterious  letter."  227 

Dick  trotted  along  by  the  side  of  the  young  master, 
"  walking  up  hill  and  footing  it  down  f  and  as  he  saw  him, 
with  blistered  feet,  wading  the  cool  streams  or  kicking 
up  the  dust,  with  an  ancient,  smooth-bore  musket,  altered 
from  a  flint  to  a  percussion,  one  of  the  few  thousands  of 
similar  arms  which  constituted  the  celebrated  "steal" 
(liar's  vernacular)  of  ex-Secretary  of  War,  John  B.  Floyd, 
he  devoutly  wished  for  the  bays  and  phaeton,  or  Selim,  or 
even  one  of  the  "  shave-tailed  mules." 

"  Mars'  Chyarles,"  he  said,  as  they  walked  up  a  long 
hill,  amid  suffocating  dust,  "  ef  I  gits  kilt  I  wants  you  to 
find  me,  'cause  I'se  got  a  letter  for  you ;  but  if  I  don't  git 
kilt  you  kin  lemme  'lone." 

"  What  ?  "  inquired  the  young  man,  stopping  to  pant  a 
moment,  "  a  letter  !     From  whom  ?  " 

"Well,  sar,  mammy  an'  marmsell  sorter  fixed  it  up 
betwixt  'em." 

"Where  is  it?" 

"  Sowed  up  in  de  bres'  o'  dis  buckskin  jacket.  But  you 
ain't  to  have  it  onless  I  gits  kilt." 

"But  suppose  I  get  killed,"  laughed  the  young  man, 
"  how  about  the  letter  then  ?  " 

"  Well,  ef  you  gits  kilt  I'se  to  take  you  to  ole  miss  here 
in  Ferginny ;  or  ef  you's  ever  in  a  mighty  tight  place  for 
money,  me  or  you  ary  one  is  to  bust  it  open." 

"  Has  it  money  in  it?  " 

"  Lawd  !     No,  sir  !     Nary  cent ! " 

"  Well,  what  about  money  ?  " 

"Dar  ain't  no  money  in  it,  but  I's  to  tell  you  nothin' 
'cept  ef  I  gits  kilt  you  git  dat  letter ;  an'  ef  I  don't  git 
kilt  you's  to  lemme  'lone.  Dem's  my  orders,  sar ;  an'  es 
de  sayin'  goes,  ^  ef  you  ax  me  no  queshtons  I'll  tell  you  no 
lies.' " 


228  THE   HARP   IS   OX   THE   WILLOW. 

On  arriving,  with  blistered  feet,  weary  limbs  and  dust- 
covered  body,  at  Piedmont,  on  the  Manasses  Junction 
and  Strasburg  railroad,  where  the  infantry  were  to  take 
the  cars  for  the  Junction,  it  occurred  to  the  young  man 
that,  with  the  insufficient  means  of  transportation  at 
hand,  many  precious  hours  must  elapse  before  his  regi- 
ment, coming  in  its  regular  order,  could  be  transported. 
He,  therefore,  disregarding  the  requirements  of  military 
discipline,  the  absolute  necessity  of  which  he  had  not 
yet  fully  recognized,  determined  to  go  on  in  advance  of 
his  command,  and  found  sitting  room  on  top  of  a  coach 
of  the  last  train  that  went  through  before  the  collision, 
which  stopped  all  transportation  till  the  next  day,  and 
kept  many  a  gallant  fellow  gazing,  for  long,  weary  hours, 
down  the  track  in  anxious  watch  for  the  next  train,  while 
with  nervous  impatience  he  listened  to  the  far  distant 
boom  of  hea\y  guns,  which  he  knew  were  doing  slaughter 
and  "making  history." 

As  the  train  was  in  the  act  of  moving  off  with  all 
sitting,  standing  and  hanging-on  space  fully  occupied, 
Dick's  voice — he  had  been  ordered  to  remain  with  the 
regiment — was  heard  above  the  din,  as  he  gesticulated 
wildly  from  the  top  of  a  pile  of  goods  boxes,  in  a  frantic 
effort  to  attract  the  young  master's  attention. 

"  I  say.  Mars'  Chyarles,  dar's  a  man  in  de  grocery 
here  dat's  got  a  ole  sode  widout  no  sheth  to  it,  an' 
he  says  I  may  have  it  for  seben  dollars.  Mayn't  I  buy 
it?" 

But  the  laughing  reply  of  the  young  man  was  lost  in  a 
perfect  Bedlam  of  shouts  from  the  crazy,  laughing,  yelling 
mob  oh  the  cars  as  the  train  moved  off. 

"  Bully  for  you,  Snowball ! " 

"  Get  a  hay-fork.  Eed  Jacket ! " 


"  It  'pears  like  dis  is  gwine  to  be  a  mighty  po'  war,  an3'how ! " 


"history.'*  231 

"Snatcli  up  a  grubin'-hoe,  Jack  o'  Clubs/' 

"  Grab  a  meat-axe,  Othello  ! '' 

*'  Skirmish  around  and  find  a  mowin'-blade,  Black 
Hawk  ! "  etc.,  etc. 

"  Humph  ! "  grunted  Dick,  indignantly,  as  he  climbed 
down  from  his  perilous  perch,  still  keeping  his  eager  eyes 
on  the  fast-disappearing,  and  madly-yelling  mass  of  reck- 
less, devil-may-care  humanity.  "  Who  ever  hyeard  of 
anybody  skelpin'  a  Abolitioner  wid  a  mowin' -blade  !  It 
'pears  like  dis  is  gwine  to  be  a  mighty  po'  war,  anyhow ! 
Dar's  es  big  a  gent'man  es  Mars'  Chyarles  totin'  a  ole 
yawger  'roun'  dat  a  nigger  wouldn't  be  ketched  wid  in 
Alabamer ;  an'  half  de  tother  white  fokes  ain't  got  nothin' 
but  shot-guns  an'  shop-made  butcher  knives ;  an'  I  'spose 
ef  a  nigger  w^ants  to  take  a  han',  he's  got  to  skirmish 
aroun'  an'  hunt  up  de  farmin'  tools  !     Humph  ! " 

History  has  related  how  the  passengers  on  that  last 
train  on  that  quiet  Sabbath  day,  as  they  approached  the 
vicinity  of  the  battle-field,  halted  the  train  short  of  its 
destination,*  and  hastily  forming,  dashed  over  hill  and 
dale,  through  forests,  fields  and  bramble,  directly  to  the 
point  from  which  the  heaviest  roar  of  the  conflict  seemed 
to  proceed;  and  how  they  came,  Blucher-like,  at  the 
eleventh  hour,  to  inspire  the  thin  lines  of  weary  and  faint- 
ing patriots  with  renewed  energy,  and  to  join  in  the  last 
desperate  charge  w^hich  was  destined  to  crumble,  disinte- 
grate and  sweep  away  the  last  grand  array  of  their  oppo- 
nents, and  send  them,  huddled  and  confused,  to  the  rear 
in  a  hasty  retreat,  which  w^as  soon  to  become  a  wild  and 
disastrous  rout.     Mr.  Stewart  had  taken  the  position  ofi  a 

*  It  is  here  asserted  that  the  thought  to  do  tliis  did  not  originate 
with  any  one  officer,  but  was  a  spontaneous  impulse  or  inspiration  on 
the  part  of  all  the  passengers,  officers,  and  privates. 

15 


232  THE   HARP   IS   ON   THE   WILLOW. 

volunteer  color-guard,  and  a  short  time  after  General  Kirby 
Smith,  the  leader,  had  been  shot  down — as  then  believed 
mortally  wounded  by  a  ball  through  the  lungs — a  dis- 
charge of  grape-shot,  at  short  range,  had  brought  down 
the  color  sergeant  and  a  dozen  or  more  around  him. 
But  the  colors  had  hardly  touched  the  ground  before  the 
young  volunteer,  who  was  unhurt,  wrenched  them  from 
the  dying  grasp  of  the  sergeant,  and  springing  to  the  front 
bore  them  through  the  remainder  of  the  fight,  and  in  the 
short  pursuit  which  the  thoroughly  exhausted  command 
was  able  to  make,  as  soldiers,  congressmen,  governors,  and 
women,  abandoning  artillery,  champagne  baskets,  pie 
wagons,  and  puff  boxes,  choked  the  roads  for  twenty  miles, 
or  scattered  frantically  through  fields  and  forests  in  a  mad 

effort  to  escape  from What  ?    "  Raw  Head  and  Bloody 

Bones  ! "  for  there  was  virtually  nothing  else  possessing 
the  ability  to  pursue. 

On  the  next  day,  when  his  own  command  arrived,  Mr. 
Stewart  displayed  to  the  covetous  eyes  of  his  comrades 
a  bright  new  Enfield  rifle,  which  he  had  secured  for  him- 
self in  the  general  rush  after  the  battle  for  the  aban- 
doned arms ;  and  made  Dick  cut  up  rare  capers  of  joy, 
by  presenting  him  a  new  cavalry  sabre  with  a  highly 
polished  ^'sheth.'' 

"  Golly !  Mars'  Chyarles,''  exclaimed  the  delighted 
"abolitioner  skelper,''  as  he  passed  the  flat  side  of  the 
polished  steel  caressingly  across  his  cheek,  "  ef  we  all  ain't 
got  no  shiny  guns  an'  sodes,  we  knows  whar  to  git  'em 
cheap,  don't  we  ?     Did  we  get  all  de  cannons,  too  ?  " 

"  We  got  a  very  large  lot  of  them,"  replied  the  young 
man,  laughing  at  the  negro's  manifestations  of  joy.  "  Do 
you  want  a  cannon  also  ?  " 

"  Lawd,  no  sar  !     But  I  wants  our  side  to  have  'em  all, 


"are  two  better  than  one?"  233 

so  dey  can't  be  shootin'  'em  at  us.  Daddy  says  he  bet 
I'd  be  buttin'  billy-goats  wid  some  o'  dem  cannon  balls, 
an'  es  hard  es  my  head  is  de  cannon  balls  'ud  be  apt  to  git 
de  best  o'  it,  an'  I's  sorter  feard  so  myself." 

What  a  momentous  battle  was  that  first  of  Manassas  ! 
or  "  Bull  Run,"  as  it  has  been  styled  in  history  by  men 
who  would  scorn  to  be  suspected  of  having  intended  to 
perpetuate  a  pun.  What  a  lucky  defeat  for  those  who 
lost  it !  What  an  unfortunate  victory  for  those  who  won  ! 
It  cleared  the  vision  of  the  former  and  dazzled  the  eyes  of 
the  latter.  It  taught  one  the  unreliability  of  the  alleged 
aphorism  that  "  two  are  better  than  one,"  and  deceived 
the  other  with  the  belief  that  "  one  is  equal  to  three  ! " 
Dick,  catching  the  spirit  of  the  hour,  felt  that  the  simple 
shout  of  the  rebel  yell  from  a  hundred  throats  could  put 
to  flight  a  brigade  ^^dth  banners ;  and  even  the  young 
master  viewed  with  less  apprehension  the  gigantic  prepa- 
rations being  made  the  succeeding  winter  on  the  North 
side  of  the  Potomac,  and  the  self-satisfied  apathy,  or  rather 
absence  of  vigorous  activity,  in  the  South. 

In  the  early  spring  of  the  next  year,  while  the  country 
was  full  of  rumors  of  an  intended  advance  by  "  the  finest 
army  on  the  planet "  on  the  position  at  Manassas,  the 
command  to  which  ]\Ir.  Stewart  belonged  was  hurried 
from  its  winter  camp  near  the  stream  known  as  Bull  Run, 
to  go,  by  quick  marches,  through  Richmond  and  on  to 
the  gateway  of  the  new  route,  which  indications  pointed 
to  as  the  chosen  one  for  the  second  move  in  the  "  on  to 
Richmond  "  international  chess  tournament.  In  the  rifle 
pits  near  Yorktown  he  found  less  than  eleven  thousand 
troops  holding  a  defensive  line  extending  from  that 
historic  burgh  to  the  James  river ;  while  marshalled  in 
front  of  them  were  three  army  corps  embracing  ninety 


234  THE   HARP   IS   ON   THE   WILLOW. 

thousand  infantry,  ten  thousand  cavalry,  and  largely  over 
four  hundred  field  and  siege  guns. 

On  the  promotion  of  Captain  Howard  to  a  field  office, 
Mr.  Stewart  had  been  appointed  to  the  vacant  lieutenancy 
occasioned  by  the  company  promotions  made  necessary  in 
order  to  fill  the  vacant  captaincy,  and  being  unable  to 
procure  a  sword  of  any  description,  he  had  made  a 
requisition  on  Dick  for  the  sabre,  giving  him  the  Enfield 
rifle  in  exchange.  As  this  rifle  was  the  only  improved 
arm  in  the  regiment,  and  was  consequently  the  envy  of 
the  eight  hundred  men  in  the  command,  Dick  made  the 
exchange  very  gladly,  only  objecting  that  the  bayonet 
might  be  "  sort  o^  onhandy  to  skelp  a  abolitioner  ef  he 
was  ^live.'' 

The  great  necessity  of  keeping  up  a  good  show  of  forces 
along  so  lengthy  a  line  of  defense  till  additional  troops 
could  arrive  from  Manassas,  necessitated  the  hasty  forma- 
tions of  special  battalions,  to  compose  which  many  large 
companies  were  subdivided  into  platoons.  One  of  these 
latter  was  put  under  the  command  of  Mr.  Stewart,  and  he 
was  sent  to  occupy  a  long  narrow  peninsula  jutting  out 
into  the  salt  marsh  which,  for  some  distance,  excepting  at 
the  point  of  the  peninsula,  lined  that  side  of  the  Warwick 
river  or  creek.  He  was  given  two  couriers,  with  orders 
to  open  fire,  and  send  a  courier  witli  tidings,  if  the  enemy 
should  be  heard  to  come  down  to  the  margin  of  the  stream 
during  the  darkness  of  night.  And  in  case  of  an  attempt 
to  throw  a  force  across  he  was  ordered  to  despatch  the 
other ,  courier,  and  to  fight  till  reinforced,  or  as  lon^  as  he 
had  a  man  alive. 

The  shades  of  deep  twilight,  under  cover  of  which  he 
moved  into  his  position,  had  not  given  place  to  full  dark- 
ness for  more  than  a  couple  of  hours,  when  the  cracking 


"on  picket  duty.  235 

of  twigs  under  foot,  and  the  occasional  click  of  a  canteen 
against  the  handle  of  a  bayonet,  told  of  the  cautious 
advance  of  the  foe  down  the  face  of  the  wooded  heights 
to  the  margin  of  the  narrow  stream  whose  tide  had  com- 
menced an  hour  before  to  ebb.  The  men,  who  had 
already  made  considerable  progress  in  opening  rifle  pits 
by  the  lively  use  of  bayonets  and  tin  cups,  in  the  absence 
of  picks  and  spades,  instantly  seized  their  guns,  and  when 
it  was  discovered  that  the  head  of  the  column  had  reached 
the  margin  of  the  water,  the  instantaneous  roar  of  forty- 
two  "  steal "  muskets  burst  upon  the  fog-laden  air,  hush- 
ing the  busy  croakings  of  millions  of  frogs,  and  awaking 
the  slumbering  echoes  from  the  opposite  heights.  For 
several  moments  there  was  an  absence  of  all  sound  upon 
the  air,  and  it  seemed  to  the  few  poetic  fancies  present  in 
the  little  band  as  if  nature  had  paused  to  listen  for  the 
next  demonstration.  But  there  was  dead  silence  on  the 
opposite  side.  Xot  even  the  cracking  of  a  twig  or  the 
click  of  a  canteen  vouchsafed  a  feeble  response  to  the 
uproarious  salute.  Soon,  however,  the  ring  of  forty-two 
rammers,  loading  the  rusty  "  steal "  guns,  broke  the 
oppressive  stillness,  and  for  more  than  an  hour  an  irregular 
and  scattering  fire  was  kept  up  without  eliciting  any 
response  from  the  other  side;  till  finally  a  voice  came 
across  the  fog-shrouded  water  : 

"What  in  the  h — 11  are  you  Johnny  Rebs  shootin' 
at?^^ 

"  Lieutenant,"  drawled  a  loose-jointed  hero  of  many  a 
fisticnff  bout  in  the  Alabama  Barrens,  "  mayn't  I  open  on 
him?''  and  having  received  laughing  and  unconsidered 
permission,  he  responded  : 

"  Shootin'  at  you  d — d  red-mouthed,  blue  bel — d  Abo- 
litionists." 


236  THE   HARP   IS   ON   THE   WILLOW. 

^^  Have  you  got  balls  in  your  guns  ?  " 

"No;  we're  tryin'  to  run  you  home  without  hurtin' 
you !  ''* 

"  Good  boy  !     Who's  in  command  over  there  ?  " 

"  Me ! " 

"  What's  your  name? " 

"  Col.  Thomas  Wild  Cat ! " 

"  What  regiment  ?  " 

"Wait  over  there  a  spell  and  I'll  send  the  army 
bullet-in ! " 

"Oh,  I'm  not  seeking  light  through  a  hole  in  my 
body ! " 

"  Ha  !  ha  !  you're  no  fool  if  you  are  a  Yank.  What's 
your  name  ?  " 

"  Maj.  Gen.  Bengal  Tiger  ! " 

"  Happy  to  know  you,  Tige.  Hope  you  mayn't  live 
long  and  prosper  ! " 

"  Many  thanks  !  Sorry  I  can't  call  over  this  evening 
and  give  you  the  strong  grip  of  the  Tiger's  paw  ! " 

"  Mighty  sorry  myself !  I'd  show  you  how  I'd  keep  the 
flesh  on  my  bones  long  enough  to  see  the  acacia  wave  over 
your  head ! " 

"Ha  !  ha  !  Wild  Tom  Cat,  my  boy,  you'll  do  !  Say  ! 
I  want  to  come  over  there.  What  kind  of  welcome  will 
you  fellows  give  me  ?  " 

"  The  kind  you  fellows  wanted  the  Mexicans  to  give 
our  Southern  boys  when  we  went  to  whip  the  sassy  greasers, 
and  make  glory  for  that  durned  old  flag  that  you've 
got  over  there  ! " 

"  Oh,  you  don't  want  to  talk  like  that  about  the  old 


*  This  is  a  real  conversation,  given  from  memory,  under  the  circum- 
stances exactly  as  here  described.  ' 


"dividing  the  stars  and  stripes."        237 

flag  !  You  boys  helped  to  make  its  glory,  and  we  only 
want  you  to  keep  your  share.     That's  fair,  isn't  it  ?  '^ 

"  Oh,  yes ;  we  understand  all  that !  You  want  all  the 
stars  for  your  share,  and  want  to  give  us  all  the  stripes  for 
ours.  But  we've  soured  on  stripes,  and  the  old  shebang 
'11  be  red  all  over,  and  the  stars  '11  weep  blood  before  you 
can  fix  it  that  way  again  ! " 

"  Oh,  I'm  no  politician,  and  couldn't  make  a  buncombe 
speech  like  that  to  save  me  !  But  we  don't  want  you  to 
destroy  the  life  of  the  nation  !  '^ 

"  Destroy  what  ?  Well,  that's  cool !  You've  been  sayin* 
for  years  that  we  were  a  set  of  lazy  drones  and  a  clog  to 
you  prosperity,  and  now  talk  about  pegging  out  because 
we  want  to  leave  you  in  peace  and  let  you  prosper.'^ 

"  But  you  insulted  the  flag  at  Sumter  ! " 

"  Well,  what  of  it  ?  We  made  it  w^hat  it  is,  and  gave  it 
the  spirit  to  know  when  it  is  insulted.  But  we  wouldn't 
have  done  it  if  you  fellows  hadn't  flirted  it  into  our  faces 
and  dared  us  to  bat  our  eyes.  All  the  use  you  ever  had 
for  it  before  was  as  a  sort  o'  sign  over  your  tradin'  ships, 
to  let  the  nations  know  if  they  weren't  on  their  p's  and 
q's,  that  we  Southern  boys  would  thrash  'em  out  o'  their 
boots.  It's  mighty  little  glory  you've  ever  spangled  on 
to  it ! " 

"  Oh,  well,"  responded  the  other,  with  a  quiet  laugh, 
"  if  we  have  been  a  little  backward  heretofore,  we  are 
going  to  make  up  for  all  that  now." 

"  Yes  ;  that's  just  like  you.  You  can't  fight  a  foreign 
enemy  for  the  honor  of  the  flag — you'd  rather  stay  at 
home  and  supply  the  market  with  wooden  nutmegs 
— but  the  good  fat  thing  that  you've  been  makin'  out 
of  us  you  want  to  hold  on  to  like  grim  death  to  a  dead 
nigger ! " 


238 


THE  HARP  IS  ON  THE  WILLOW. 


"  Ha  !  ha  !  Wild  Cat,  my  boy,  you're  a  regular  fire- 
eater  !     I  can  see  your  eyes  shiuing  ! " 

"  Of  course  you  can ;  so  get  out  of  the  way  ;  I'm  going 

to  shoot ! " 

"  Oh,  don't  do  that !  You  can't  hurt  anything  but  the 
frogs  in  the  marsh ;  and  I  want  to  ask  you  about  a  lot  of 
things.  Besides,  it's  contrary  to  the  usage  of  civilized 
warfare  for  pickets  to  fire  on  each  other." 


"Where  are  the  Rebels?" 


« W^e're  not  conducting  a  civilized  warfare  !  We're 
fighting  you  ^  higher-law '  fellows  who  believe  in 
higher  things  than  are  recognized  by  laws,  and  practice 
lower  ones ;  who  recognize  a  higher  leader  than  your  gal- 
lant McClellan,  and  follow  the  lead  of  John  Brown's 
so-called  soul.  Only  savages  could  be  led  by  the  spirit  of 
such  a  human  brute ;  so  look  out !  I'm  going  to  shoot ! 
Fair  warning  !  One,  two,  three  ! "  And  the  report  of 
the  old  "  steal "  musket,  held  at  an  angle  of  twelve  or 


"READY    FOR   A   BATTLE^'  239 

fifteen  degrees,  to  insure  against  hurting  the  frogs,  rang 
out  on  the  air  and  the  soldier  prudently  lay  down  in  his 
shallow  rifle  pit. 

On  the  next  night,  and  on  each  succeeding  night,  the 
same  voice  called  over  for  a  little  chat ;  but  Mr.  Stewart, 
fearing  that  some  hint  of  the  position  of  affairs  might  be 
unwittingly  dropped  by  his  men,  forbade  any  response  to 
be  made.  This  order  severely  tried  the  military  discipline 
of  the  irrepressible  Barrenite,  particularly  when  reference 
was  made  to  his  feeding  on  wild  onions  and  sassafras  tea, 
with  a  little  bacon  and  corn-meal,  and  an  occasional  frog 
from  the  marsh.  It  is  only  the  truth  that  gives  umbrage 
to  the  feelings,  and  poor  Shelton,  while  suffering  the  pangs 
of  hunger,  -could  illy  brook  the  sarcasms  fired  at  his  gov- 
ernment's larder. 

In  the  meantime  troops  from  Manassas  were  arriving 
daily ;  and  on  the  opposite  side  it  was  very  evident  an 
immense  army  had  been  massed,  and  that  the  pick  and 
spade  had  turned  the  hills  upside  down  with  great  earth- 
works, while  innumerable  masked  batteries  lined  the 
heights  for  miles,  beliind  the  forest  growiih  which  covered 
the  faces  of  the  precipitous  slopes. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 
Grim-Visaged  War. 

"  Ah  !  me  !  what  perik  do  environ 
The  man  that  meddles  with  cold  iron." — Butler's  Hudibras. 

"  He  is  unwise  that  to  a  market  goes 
Where  there  is  nothing  to  be  had  but  blows." — Aleyn's  Henry  VII. 

ONE  pleasant  evening,  after  night  had  drawn  a  veil 
between  the  sharp-shooters  on  the  Warwick  Heights 
and  their  targets  on  the  little  peninsula,  who,  but  for  the 
one  Enfield  rifle,  borrowed  of  Dick,  would  have  been  com- 
pletely at  the  mercy  of  their  foes,  a  loud-voiced  song  was 
heard  from  the  bald  hill  immediately  in  rear  of  Mr. 
Stewart's  position,  reciting  the  adventures  of  a  colored 
couple  in  a  disastrous  buggy  ride,  which,  judging  from 
the  refrain,  placed  the  lady  in  a  rather  undignified  posi- 
tion : 

"  Old  Joe  kickin'  up  behind  an'  befo', 
De  yaller  gal  kickin'  up  behind  old  Joe." 

This  rude  song  thrilled  the  heart  of  the  young  com- 
mandant of  the  perilous  post,  as  it  had  never  been 
thrilled  by  the  most  intoxicating  music  of  an  Italian 
opera,  for  it  foretold  the  coming  of  Dick,  with  his  break- 
fast, dinner  and  supper,  all  in  one. 

Dick  had  acquired,  in  his  command,  the  sobriquet  of 
^'colored  sergeant,"  from  his  persistence  in  claiming  as 
his  right  a  place  in  the  line  of  march  immediately  in  rear 

of  the  battle  flag,  and  from  his  frequent  reference  to  deeds 

240 


"the  sable  muse."  241 

of  gallantry  performed  while  acting  as  color-bearer  at 
Manasses  by — he  was  not  sure  whether  it  was  himself  or 
the  young  master,  or  both  together.  On  the  present 
occasion  he  marched  gallantly  forAvard,  proud  of  a  "treat'' 
he  had  provided  for  the  young  master,  with  a  rough 
basket,  fabricated  by  himself  out  of  hickory  bark,  on  his 
arm,  and  a  "little  brown  jug"  in  one  hand.  The  dingi- 
ness  of  his  buckskin  jacket,  and  two  embrasures  in  the 
rear  of  his  pants,  from  one  of  which  floated,  as  if  at  half- 
mast,  a  checked  signal  of  distress,  indicated  that  he  had  seen 
hard  ser^^ice ;  but  his  unsubdued  mein  told  that  he  was 
"  right  side  up,"  with  "  a  heart  for  every  fate."  In  addition 
to  his  proud  military  title,  he  had  won  a  prouder,  and 
equally  well-merited,  literary  distinction,  that  of  being 
poet-laureate  to  Company  "  F."  As  he  neared  the  post, 
and  knew  that  his  voice  could  be  heard  by  the  men  on 
duty,  he  changed  his  song  to  one  of  his  own  composition 
— his  latest : 

"  Buckwheat  flour  battercakes  an'  'possum  fat  is  good, 
An'  'lasses  to  go  wid  'em — I'd  git  it  ef  I  could  ; 
Eoasted  shote  an'  'tater  sass  will  take  a  nigger's  hat, 
But  ef  you  want  his  gizzard,  give  'im  cakes  an'  'possum  fat! 
Oh !  Lawd,  mammy,  watch  ole  Uncle  »Sam, 
Keep  your  eye  upon  de  meat  dat's  fryin'  in  de  pan ! 

"  Fat  hog  meat  is  gettin'  sca'ce,  an'  'tother  meat  is  gone ; 
De  biskits  dat  me's  chawin'  on  is  made  out  o'  co'n. 
Little  pone  o'  co'n  ashcake  an'  little  chunk  o'  fat, 
An'  every  day  is  Sunday  when  we  gits  enough  o'  dat. 
Oh  !  Lawd,  mammy,  look  at  Uncle  Sam, 
EatiinJ  all  de  rashens  up,  an'  soppin'  o'  de  pan ! " 

Mr.  Stewart  met  his  faithful  purveyor  at  the  upper  end 
of  the  little  copse  that  lay  to  the  rear  of  his  post,  and 
praised  him  as  a  famous  forager  when  he  produced  his 
treat  of  "  sassafax  tea  sweetened  wid  sorghum  'lasses,"  and 


242  GRIM-VISAGED   WAR. 

a  fine  large  fish,  a  present  from  Captain  Flournoy,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  usual  scant  ration  of  corn  bread  and  "Nassau" 
bacon.  While  the  young  man  regaled  himself  on  this 
sumptuous  fare,  Dick  sauntered  down  to  the  post  to 
deliver  a  message.  He  had  been  there  but  a  few  minutes 
when  the  voice,  which  seemed  never  to  weary  of  making 
witty  and  taunting  inquiries  or  suggestions,  called : 

"  Hello,  over  there.  Wild  To'm  Cat.  Can't  you  invite 
me  over  to  tea — safras  tea  ?  " 

Receiving  no  answer,  it  soon  came  again  : 

"I  say,  Tom  Cat,  I  thought  I  heard  the  name  of 
Stewart  over  there.  Have  you  got  a  fellow  named  SteAvart 
with  you  ?  " 

"  Feller  named  Styode ! ''  quoted  Dick,  indignantly. 
"  He  means  me.  He  wouldn't  have  de  imperdence  to 
call  Mars'  Chyarles  a  ^feller J  I's  gwine  to  ax  him  to  let 
me  jaw  dat/e/^er.  I  speck  I  kin  fling  es  much  slack  jaw 
es  he  kin." 

Saying  which,  he  ran  oif,  and  soon  returned  with  the 
information  to  the  sergeant  that  he  had  the  desired  per- 
mission, under  certain  restrictions  ;  and  going  to  the  edge 
of  the  water,  he  called  : 

"Who's  dat  wants  to  hear  'bout  a  feller  named 
Styode  ?  " 

"  Me  !  Do  you  know  him  ?  "  replied  the  voice,  with 
animation. 

"  Well,  I  wears  his  britches  and  totes  his  munny- 
puss." 

"Are  you  Mr.  Stewart?" 

"  Dat's  what  dey  calls  me  when  I's  at  home." 

"  Are  you  an  officer  ?  " 

"  You  bet !     I's  de  colored  sudgent ! " 

"  Are  you  acquainted  in  Barrensville,  Alabama  ?  " 


"  TALKING   ACKOSS   THE   '  CHASM.'  "  243 

"  Barrensville  !  I  knows  every  ole  rooster  dat  ever 
crowed  in  Barrensville  ! " 

*'  Do  you  know  Dr.  Hansel  ? '' 

"  Dr.  Hansel !  I  wish  I  had  es  many  dollai'S  es  I 
knows  dat  ole  rooster  !  '^ 

There  was  a  pause  here,  and  a  consultation  seemed  to 
be  held  on  the  other  side,  interspersed  with  a  good  deal 
of  laughter.     Finally  the  voice  came  again  : 

"  ^Ir.  Stewart  are  vou  not  a  contraband  ?  " 

ft/ 

"  Xo ;  I's  got  nothin'  to  do  wid  no  ban'  but  I's  de  poit- 
lawrit. 

"  I  mean  are  you  not  a  colored  brother  ? '' 

"  Well,  I  dunno  'bout  dat !  I's  a  nigger,  an'  I  won't 
'spute  'bout  bein'  a  brother ;  but  whether  I's  cullered  or 
you  is  bleached  I  hasn't  adzackly  made  up  my  min'.  But 
we's  all  one  fambly." 

"  What  are  you  doing  in  the  army  ?  " 

"I's  de  colored  sudgent,  an'  de  poit-lawrit,  an'  I 
.cooks  for  Mars'  Chvarles  Stvode  : " 

"  Charles  Stewart  from  Alabama  ?  " 

"  Yes,  an'  a  mighty  long  ways  from  dar,  too ! " 

"  He's  the  man  we  want  !     Where  is  he  ?  " 

"  Back  yonder,  settin'  on  a  camp  sofy,  eatin'  of  a  poun' 
cake,  an'  drinkin'  Chinv  tea  ! " 

"  Is  he  an  officer  ?  " 

"  Well,  you'd  think  so  ef  you  was  to  see  d^t  fine  sode 
he's  a  totin'  round'." 

"  Tell  him  Captain  Frank  Conrad  is  over  here,  and  ask 
him  if  he  will  receive  a  visit  from  him." 

"  Xo  ;  no  ! "  excitedly ;  "  tell  him  to  shinny  on  his  own 
side  o' " 

"  Stoj),  Dick,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Stewart,  who  came  up  at 
the  moment ;  "  say  that  I  shall  be  happy  to  do  so." 


244  GRIM-VISAGED   WAR. 

"  But,  Mars'  Chyarles,"  remonstrated  Dick,  "  sposen  dey 
brings  de  guns  an'  we  gits  up  a  skrimmage  ?  Dar  powder 

shoots  a  heap  harder'n  ourn,  an' "  but  before  Dick 

could  finish  his  sentence,  a  clear,  manly  voice  called  out : 

^'  Hello,  Stewart !  Are  you  over  there  ?  "  And  the  young 
man,  recognizing  the  voice  of  his  friend,  and  Miss  Sey- 
mour's cousin,  Frank  Conrad,  gave  him  a  cordial  invita- 
tion to  come  over. 

In  a  few  moments  the  bottom  of  a  small  skiff  grated 
upon  the  gray  sand,  and  a  tall  athletic  young  man  sprang 
ashore.  AVhile  the  two  officers  exchanged  cordial 
greetings,  Dick's  peering  vision  penetrated  the  murky 
darkness  sufficiently  to  satisfy  him  that  the  two  men  left 
in  the  boat  had  oars  instead  of  guns  in  their  hands.  After 
many  inquiries  concerning  mutual  friends,  Mr.  Stewart 
directed  Dick  to  serve  up  the  remainder  of  his  "  poun' 
cake  and  Chiny  tea,"  and  invited  his  friend  to  "  head- 
quarters "  to  partake  of  those  dainties.  Dick  served  pipes 
and  tobacco,  instead  of  the  edible  luxuries,  with  the 
apology,  intended  for  effect  on  the  stranger,  and  showing 
a  trace  of  his  license  as  a  poet-laureate  : 

"  Mars'  Chyarles,  dar  must  be  stray  dogs  runnin'  loose 
in  dese  woods,  an'  a  heap  of  'em  too,  for  I  can't  find 
nary  morsel  of  nothin'  t'  eat,  nor  drink,  'ceptin'  dat 
fine  simmon  brandy  Mars'  Cap'n  Flournoy  sont  you 
yistiddy." 

"  Well,  Dick,"  laughed  the  young  man,  "  serve  that  in 
your  best  style.  If  a  civilized  palate  cannot  stand  it 
there  will  at  least  be  a  novel  gustatory  sensation  when 
persimmon  brandy  is  tasted  for  the  first  time." 

The  two  friends  chatted  pleasantly  for  hours  over  their 
pipes  and  the  fiery  liquor  made  from  that  indigenous  fruit 
which  Captain  Smith,  the  hero  of  the  Pocahontas  rescue, 


"friendly  meeting  of  blue  and  gray/'   245 

describes  as  a  peculiar  "  plum,  with  several  seeds,  called 
putchemons  by  the  Indians  ;  good  for  food,  but,  if  eaten 
green,  is  liable  to  gripe  the  g — s."  As  the  alcoholic 
spirit  made  from  this  peculiar  "  plum  "  did  not  possess 
the  peculiar  qualities  attributed  to  the  green  fruit 
by  the  first  white  hero  known  to  Virginia,  the  young 
men  drank  numerous  healths  and  toasts  ;  and  the  Pleiades, 
those  seven  wrinkles  in  the  neck  of  Taurus,  which  are  the 
negroes'  time-keepers  of  the  night,  told  Dick  that  it  was 
less  than  an  hour  to  daybreak  when  the  entertaining 
young  visitor  arose  to  depart. 

"  Well,  Stewart,"  said  he,  "  I  must  leave  now.  To- 
morrow night  I  shall  send  the  boat  over  for  you,  if 
circumstances  do  not  prevent,  and  shall  invite  some  of  my 
brother  officers  to  meet  you.  In  the  mean  time,  I  shall 
write  a  letter  to  that  charming  little  cousin  of  mine,  who 
so  heartlessly  gave  me  the  mitten  two  years  ago,  and  shall 
get  you  to  mail  it  inside  of  your  lines." 

As  he  finished  speaking,  he  wrote  a  few  lines  in  a  note- 
book, and  tearing  the  leaf  out,  he  handed  it  to  Mr.  Stewart, 
with  the  remark : 

"  This  is  to  remind  you.  Read  it  in  the  morning,  and 
do  not  fail  to  be  ready  for  the  boat.  And  you  are  to 
bring  Dick,  too.  We  have  but  one  Abolitionist  over  there 
for  him  to  scalp — our  sutler — and  he  has  been  scalping  us 
so  long  that  we  shall  enjoy  seeing  him  beaten  at  his  own 
game." 

After  escorting  his  friend  to  the  boat,  and  taking  leave 
of  him,  with  the  promise  to  visit  him  on  the  next  night, 
if  possible,  the  young  man  wrapped  himself  in  his  blanket, 
and  soon  fell  asleep. 

The  sun  was  shining  in  his  face  the  next  morning  when 
he  awoke,  and  his  first  thought  was  the  note  left  him  by 


246  GRIM-VISAGED    WAR. 

Captain  Conrad.     He  was  a  little  disappointed,  as  well  as 
startled,  when  he  opened  it  and  read  : 

"  Useless  butchery  is  not  war !  If  I  do  not  send  the  boat  for  you, 
listen  for  the  sound  of  axes  unmasking  batteries.  If  you  hear  it,  flee 
instantly  from  the  wrath  to  come  ! " 

Mr.  Stewart  had  believed  for  several  days  that  power- 
ful batteries  were  being  erected  along  the  half  moon  line 
of  cliffs  that  fronted  and  flanked  his  position,  and  know- 
ing that  his  men  could  not  live  twenty  minutes  under  the 
fire  that  might  be  directed  on  them  from  even  one  well- 
manned  battery,  he  visited  battalion  headquarters  for  the 
purpose  of  getting  some  modification  of  his  orders.  He 
found  Major  Howard  without  authority  to  make  the 
desired  modification,  and  feeling  that  it  would  not  be 
proper  for  him  to  divulge  the  intimation  given  him,  of 
course  only  for  his  own  personal  use  and  information,  he 
returned  to  liis  post,  and  after  dark  put  his  men  earnestly 
to  work,  with  bayonets  and  tin  cups,  to  deepen  their  pits. 
But  as  he  passed  from  one  to  another,  urging  unceasing 
work,  and  listening  to  the  faint  murmur  of  unusual  bustle 
on  the  other  side  mingled  with  the  rumbling  of  hea\y 
wheels,  a  courier  arrived  from  battalion  headquarters 
bringing  orders  for  him  to  repair  thither  immediately 
with  his  full  command.  On  arriving  at  the  place,  he 
found  the  camp  fires  burning  as  usual,  but  only  a  courier 
was  there  awaiting  him  with  orders  as  to  the  route  he 
should  pursue  to  join  his  battalion.  As  he  paused  for  a 
few  minutes  to  gather  items  of  news,  or  of  surmise,  from 
the  courier,  and  heard  the  distant  rumbling  of  the  wagons 
and  artillery  of  his  own  army,  he  saw  that  the  movement, 
whatever  L  might  be,  was  a  general  one.  And,  as  he 
heard  the  sound  of  axes  from  the  fog- veiled  cliffs  beyond 
the  narrow  channel,  where  gaunt  malaria  brooded  over 


"falling  back  on  Richmond/'  247 

the  silent  marshes,  and  fiery  death  lurked  behind  the 
beetling  cliffs,  he  smiled  to  think  how  the  shrieking  shot 
and  shell  would  probably  rend  and  demolish  the  deserted 
copse  which  had  given  him  friendly  shelter. 

Throughout  the  entire  night  the  line  of  march  was  pur- 
sued, the  only  command  being  :  "  Close  up,  boys  ;  we  will 
rest  to-morrow;"  and  just  at  sunrise  the  battalion  emerged 
from  a  forest  into  a  large  field,  in  which  were  two  newly- 
constructed  redoubts  about  half  a  mile  from  the  old  town 
of  Williamsburg.  Already  the  field  w^as  tolerably  well 
filled  with  soldiers,  some  cooking  and  eating,  others 
smoking  and  chatting,  but  by  far  the  majority  enjoying,  in 
profound  slumber,  the  rest  so  much  needed  by  all.  Here 
Major  Howard  was  informed  that  when  the  march  should 
be  resumed,  his  special  battalion  would  occupy  the  position 
of  the  rearmost  of  the  rear  guard,  and  that  consequently  his 
men  would  have  five  full  hours  for  rest. 

After  a  long  and  much-needed  nap,  INIr.  Stewart  was 
aroused  by  the  roll  of  his  battalion  drum,  and  sprang  to 
his  feet  to  find  the  field  deserted,  except  by  his  own  bat- 
talion, and  a  few  stragglers  here  and  there,  who  had  over- 
slept, and  were  eagerly  inquiring  the  direction  taken  by 
their  comrades. 

As  the  command  ascended  the  long  hill  on  the  road 
leading  to  the  town,  a  courier,  who  had  come  out  of  the 
forest,  now  over  half  a  mile  to  the  rear,  dashed  by  without? 
deigning  to  notice  the  many  witty  and  sarcastic  remarks 
that  were  fired  at  him  from  the  ranks.  The  battalion 
had  entered  the  little  town,  and  finding  all  the  balconies, 
doors  and  windows  filled  with  ladies,  greeting  them  pleas- 
antly, had  joined,  with  one  accord,  in  the  melodious  strains 
of  Dixie,  when  a  second  courier,  coming  from  the  rear, 
dashed  by.     To  the  shouts  from  the  ranks.  "Don't  run, 

16 


248  GKIM-VISAGED  WAR. 

Bud ;  we'll  not  let  'em  hurt  you !  '^  "  What's  skeerin  you, 
Long  Legs?"  etc.,  the  courier  only  shouted,  with  an 
earnestness  never  known  to  him  Avho  bore  the  ^^  banner 
with  a  strauo:e  device," — "Where's  GeneralJohnston?  " 
In  the  midst  of  shouts  of  information :  "  Fifteen  miles 
ahead,  tryin'  to  overtake  the  cavalry."  "  Over  in  the 
next  county,  huntin'  up  the  Buttermilk  Rangers,"  etc.,  a 
staff  officer  came  dashing  down  the  street  at  full  speed, 
and  shouted  the  command,  as  he  passed  :  "  Right  about 
and  double  quick  ! "  At  the  same  moment  a  shell,  which 
had  traveled  a  long  distance,  as  the  sound  of  the  gun 
which  sent  it  had  not  been  noticed,  burst  in  the  air  on  the 
outskirts  of  the  village.  In  an  instant  everything  was 
chano;ed.  As  the  men  wheeled  in  their  tracks,  and  set  out 
on  the  double-quick,  the  musical  strains  of  Dixie  swelled 
into  the  Avild,  discordant  shout,  which  had  already  become 
famous  as  the  "  Rebel  yell ;  "  ladies  screamed  and  wept, 
alternately  wringing  and  clapping  their  hands,  while  a 
few,  more  impulsive  than  the  majority,  ran  out  on  the 
pavements,  and,  waving  handkerchiefs,  scarfs  and  sun- 
bonnets,  added  a  musical  mite  to  the  hoarse  roar  from 
the  masculine  throats. 

Soon  a  cry  came  from  the  rear  :  "  Clear  the  way  for 
the  artillery  ! "  and  the  rushing  mass  drifted  to  the  left  as 
a  battery  of  four  guns  with  their  caissons,  drawn  by  six 
and  four  horses  respectively,  came  lumbering  and  thun- 
dering down  the  street  at  a  full  gallop.  As  the  guns 
mounted  the  elevation  east  of  the  town,  a  battery  of  six 
guns  belonging  to  the  foe  dashed  out  of  the  forest  on  the 
other  side  of  the  field  already  described,  and  bent  their 
swift  course  toward  the  same  redoubt  that  was  the  objec- 
tive point  of  the  Confederates.  Then  commenced  an 
exciting  race,  with  the  advantages,  so  far  as  distance  and 


p» 


^^AN   EXCITING   RACE."  251 

a  smooth  way  were  concerned,  in  favor  of  the  foe.  A 
staff  officer,  riding  at  furious  speed,  dashed  up  to  the  Con- 
federate battery,  and  shouted  :  "  Drive  into  the  redoubt ! 
Lock  wheels,  and  fight  ^em  with  your  rammers  till  the 
infantry  get  there  !  '^  But  the  wild  shouts  of  the  thirty- 
two  cannoners  and  twenty  drivers,  as  the  latter  furiously 
lashed  and  spurred  their  forty  horses,  told  of  the  resolu- 
tion that  had  been  formed  before  the  command  was 
given. 

Leaving  the  road,  which  made  a  sweep  to  the  right,  the 
drivers  dashed  in  a  straight  line,  diagonally  down  the 
incline,  for  the  redoubt ;  through  thickets  of  brush-wood, 
and  over  half-rotted  stumps,  and  stones  and  gullies, 
that  it  seemed,  considering  the  speed  at  which  they  were 
moving,  should  have  appalled  the  hearts  of  any  human 
creatures  not  entirely  daft  from  excitement.  Just  at  the 
moment  that  the  battery  left  the  road  the  infantry  mounted 
the  elevation  from  which  they  could  see  the  exciting  race, 
and  cheer  after  cheer  rent  the  air,  as  the  ponderous  guns 
floundered  along,  like  unfiling  dogs,  being  dragged  by 
chains,  swaying  from  side  to  side,  as,  in  crossing  gullies 
diagonally,  first  one  wheel  and  then  the  opposite  one 
would  plunge  half  out  of  sight  and  spring  aloft,  scattering 
showers  of  red  earth,  and  spinning  for  an  instant  free  of 
contact  with  the  ground.  Every  moment  one  looked  to 
see  the  gunners  hurled,  like  mortar  shells,  from  their 
seats,  or  the  misleap  of  a  horse  bring  all  to  instant  wreck. 
But  the  opposing  battery,  probably  appalled  by  such 
reckless  driving,  and  seeing  that,  if  the  race  were  con- 
tinued, it  would  result  in  a  hand  to  hand  struggle  at  the 
redoubt,  gave  up  the  contest ;  and  sweeping  around  in  a 
graceful  curve  they  formed  the  battery,  hastily  unlim- 
bered,  and  delivered  their  first  fire  as  the  Confederate 


252  GKIM-VISAGED  WAK. 

guns  clashed  into  the  redoubt.  The  rapid  firing  and 
bursting  of  shells  from  the  Federal  battery  made  a  quick 
tattoo,  to  which  the  Confederate  gunners  seemed  to  dance 
like  metallic  puppets  operated  by  electricity,  as  they 
unlimbered,  loaded  and  delivered  their  fire  before  the 
lively  drivers  could  rush  their  horses  out  of  and  behind 
the  eartliAV'ork. 

But,  instead  of  firing  at  the  opposing  battery,  they  sent 
their  shells  into  the  woods  to  demoralize  a  blue  line  of 
infantry,  which  could  be  seen  rapidly  forming  for  a 
charge.  The  Federal  battery  instantly  adopted  the  same 
idea,  and  training  their  guns  upon  the  howling  mob, 
racing  pell-mell  down  the  hill,  as  if  on  a  general  sweep- 
stakes race,  or  in  mad  chase  after  a  hare,  and  looking  very 
unlike  the  soldierly  battalion  which  only  twenty  minutes 
before  had  marched  up  the  hill,  they  sent  shot  and  shell 
screaming  overhead,  digging  pitfalls  under  foot,  and  occa- 
sionally hurling  an  individual  or  two  from  the  moving 
mass. 

"  On  the  left,  by  file  into  line  ! "  is  the  order  given,  and 
instantly  military  training,  like  kaleidoscopic  magic,  brings 
order  out  of  chaos.  A  sergeant  who  is  ahead  springs  to 
the  left,  brings  his  gun  to  a  "present  arms,"  with  his 
back  to  the  approaching  tide  of  humanity,  and  stands  as 
rigid  as  a  statue.  He  appears  to  act  as  a  hook  upon 
which  the  sweeping  mass  has  caught.  They  whirl  past 
him,  but  suddenly  turning  to  the  left  and  halting,  an 
orderly  line  grows  out  from  him,  until  the  battalion 
is  formed,  as  a  tangled  streamer  is  straightened  out 
by  the  wind,  with  every  man  and  officer  in  his  proper 
place. 

The  order  is  given  to  lie  down,  and  the  battalion  has 
been  lying  for  a  few  minutes,  with  the  shells  passing  above 


"a   strange   FRENCH   GENTLEMAN."  253 

them,  when  Dick  crawls  up  to  the  young  master,  and  says, 
in  a  half  whisper  : 

"Mars'  Chyarles,  dar's  a  man  done  jined  our  company, 
an'  he  won't  lay  down  ! " 

"What  are  you  doing  here,  Dick?"  asked  the  young 
man,  in  surprise.     "  Why  didn't  you  stay  in  the  town  ?  " 

"  Lawd,  sar,  I  didn't  know  whar  to  stay  !  I  thought 
de  abolitioners  was  comin'  from  de  'tother  way,  an'  we 
was  runniu'  from  'em ;  an'  I  is  all  turned  upside  down. 
I  do  'spise  dem  cannon  balls,"  he  added,  giving  his  head 
a  sudden  bump  against  the  ground,  as  a  shell  burst  twenty 
feet  above  him. 

"Where's  your  gun?"  asked  the  young  man,  hardly 
able  to  restrain  a  laugh  at  the  poor  negro's  ludicrous  ges- 
ture and  vehement  indignation. 

"  Dat  man — dar  he  comes  now — said  he  was  'sleep,  an' 
his  company  lef  'im,  an'  he  gin  me  a  dollar  to  len'  'im 
my  gun.  Look  at  'im  !  Stan'in'  on  his  tip  toes,  tryin'  to 
git  higher'n  he  is  !  " 

Mr.  Stewart  turned  to  see  a  tall,  slender  man  approach- 
ing slowly,  and  pausing  every  moment  to  stretch  himself 
to  his  full  height,  and  gaze  over  the  slight  intervening 
rise  at  the  battery,  which  was  sending  its  shell  with  such 
rapidity  and  accuracy. 

"  Guerre  a  mort  ?  "  he  exclaimed  to  himself.  "  Ha  ! 
Oest  peu  de  chose  ! " 

"  My  friend,"  said  Mr.  Stewart,  addressing  him, 
"  what  is  the  matter  ?  " 

"  Je  ne  sais  quoi !  "  he  replied,  without  taking  his  eyes  off 
the  battery.     "  Je  suis — vat  you  call  him? — bGuleverseV 

"  Mars'  Chyarles," .  said  Dick,  volunteering  as  inter- 
preter, "  he's  one  o'  dese  outlandish  fokes,  an'  is  tryin'  to 
say,  like  dem  abolitioner  so'gers,  ^  Bully  for  me ! ' 


)j 


254  GRIM- VIS  AGED   WAR. 

"  What  command  do  you  belong  to,  sir  ?  ^'  inquired  the 
young  master. 

"  Le  Louisiana  batteiy/'  replied  the  man,  with  his  eyes 
still  fixed  on  the  battery  of  the  foe. 

^'  Well,  I  say  !  '^  exclaimed  ^Ir.  Stewart,  in  a  tone  that 
commanded  attention.     "  Yon  must  lie  down  !  ^' 

^^  Eh  ?  Lie  down  ? ''  exclaimed  the  man,  as  he  flashed 
an  indignant  glance  at  his  interlocutor.  "  Joci  causa ! 
Ha  !  me  fight  under  Napoleon — no  afraid  to  die  !  '^ 

"  What  is  your  name,  sir?''  demanded  the  young  man. 

"  Cesare  D'Elfons." 

^'  Eh  !  What  ?  The  deuce  you  say  !  Where  are  you 
from  ? '' 

"  La  belle  Pai'is  ;  sometime  Nouvelle  Orleans." 

^^  Were  you  a  relative  of  old  IMonsieur  Cesare  D'Elfons, 
of  New  Orleans  ? '' 

"He  vas  my — vat  you  callhim? — cousin." 

"  I  desire  to  see  you  as  soon  as  this  is  over,"  said  the 
young  man,  impressively ;  "  and  now  you  must  lie  down,  or 
I  shall  be  under  the  necessity  of  ordering  my  men  to  take 
charge  of  you." 

"  Sans  complimens — sans  rime  et  sans  raison  !  "  exclaimed 
the  indignant  man.  "  Je  ne  com — ah  !  oui ; — (^est 
America  !  "  and  with  an  angry  glance  at  the  young  man, 
he  sat  down  upon  the  ground. 

Glancing  at  Major  Howard,  who  was  afraid  to  dismount, 
lest,  at  the  proper  moment,  he  should  find  it  difficult  to 
remount  his  fiery  and  excited  young  steed,  he  exclaimed, 
as  a  shell  burst  near  the  horse's  head,  causing  him  to  rear 
and  plunge  fearfully  : 

"  Ha  !  See  Monsieur  le  Colonel !  He  is  one  brave 
man ! " 

This  exclamation  caused  a  burst  of  lauphter  at  Mr. 


"a  lively  skirmish/'  255 

Stewart's  expense  from  those  around,  which  was  heartily- 
enjoyed  by  those  who  did  not  know  that  the  French  never 
use  the  English  indefinite  article  until  they  learn  the  lan- 
guage perfectly. 

Before  the  laugh,  in  which  Mr.  Stewart  joined  amusedly, 
had  subsided,  Major  Howard  galloped  along  the  line  and 
exclaimed : 

"  The  infantry  are  about  to  charge,  boys.  Lie  low  and 
wait  for  the  word.  Recollect  your  guns  are  mere  pop- 
crackers,  and  that  steel  is  better  than  lead !  They  want 
our  battery,  but  we  must  have  theirs  ! " 

As  the  major  spoke,  a  blue  line,  in  beautiful  dress- 
parade  order,  emerged  from  the  woods,  showing  but  little 
more  force  than  might  be  in  two  good  regiments.  As  they 
passed  their  battery,  they  seemed  to  become  aroused,  and 
raising  a  shout,  broke  into  a  double-quick.  The  Confed- 
erate battery  commenced  throwing  grape  and  canister,  and 
the  celerity  with  which  the  guns  were  served,  showed  a 
full  appreciation  of  their  critical  position.  But  the  angry 
"  swish  "  of  the  small  missiles,  as  they  mowed  gaps  through 
the  advancing  line  seemed  only  to  inspire  to  greater  speed 
and  determination. 

Soon  Major  Howard  called  :  '^  Attention  ! ''  and  in  an 
instant  every  man  was  on  his  feet  and  the  order  given  to 
advance.  As  the  men  sprang  forAvard,  a  fragment  of 
shell  struck  the  major's  horse  in  the  head,  causing  him  to 
rear  and  fall  backw^ard  upon  his  rider,  who,  disengaging 
himself  in  a  moment,  rushed  forward  on  foot  with  his 
naked  sword,  leaving  the  scabbard,  as  well  as  his  hat  and 
one  of  his  coat  skirts,  under  his  dying  steed.  Before  the 
short  distance  between  the  opposing  forces  could  be  cov- 
ered, many  a  gallant  fellow  w^as  sent  "  oif  duty  forever." 
A  fragment  of  shell  struck  the  color-bearer  in  the  face. 


256  GRIM-YISAaED  WAR. 

tearing  away  the  greater  part  of  one  cheek,  and  bringing 
him  to  the  earth.  One  of  the  guards  instantly  seized  the 
colors,  but  as  he  raised  them,  the  bearer  clung  to  the  staff, 
coming  up  with  it ;  and  snatching  it  away,  ran  forward 
with  a  shout,  intended  to  say,  "  Hurrah,  boys  !  Shelton 
isn't  dead  yet ! "  *  but  only  an  unintelligible  and  sickening 
jargon  came  from  the  ghastly  grin  which  the  missile  of 
death  had  stamped  forever  upon  his  features. 

But  the  men  had  not  noticed  the  absence  of  their  colors, 
£br  their  eager  gaze  was  fixed  upon  the  proud  banner 
which  was  being  so  gallantly  borne  against  them,  and 
whose  silken  folds,  fluttered  by  a  stiff  breeze,  reached  out 
in  front  of  the  advancing  masses,  as  if  in  an  eager  effort  to 
reach  across  the  "  bloody  chasm''  opened  by  sectional  hate 
and  political  wrong,  and  give  glad,  friendly  greeting  to 
the  gallant  spirits  which,  a  few  years  before,  would  have 
sacrificed  all  but  honor  to  protect  it  from  the  suspicion  of 
a  stain. 

"  Fire  and  give  them  the  bayonet ! "  shouted  the  major; 
and  the  sound  of  nearly  four  hundred  blunderbusses,  and 
yells  from  as  many  throats,  mingled  with  the  din. 

The  advancing  masses  reel  and  stagger  !  a  starry  banner 
falls  to  a  discharge  of  grape,  which  seemed  almost  to  singe 
the  whiskers  of  its  gallant  bearer  !  Friend  and  foe  mingle 
and  struggle  for  mastery  for  one  brief  moment,  while  the 
iron-throated  monarchs  of  carnage  are  awed  into  silence  ! 
Amid  the  clash  of  steel,  the  shout,  "  Eally  on  the  battery  !" 
is  heard.  Blue  and  Gray  commence  a  headlong  race  for 
the  guns,  but  there  is  to  be  no  rally  for  the  Blue  !  To  the 
rear  is  heard  the  hurried  tramp  of  horses,  and  a  squadron 
of  cavalry,  which  has  ridden  five  miles  in  twenty  minutes, 
dashes  upon  the  scene  and  winds  up  the  skirmish  with 

*  Color-Bearer  William  Shelton,  Company  F.  9tli  Ala.  Keg't. 


"a   TROPHY;   OR,   A    BED-QUILT?*'  257 

wild  yells  which  they  carry  to,  through  and  beyond  the 
forest,  till  the  angry  roar  of  distant  artillery  commands  a 
halt  and  compels  a  reconnoisance  ! 

"  Boy !  '*  angrily  exclaimed  a  general  officer,  who  had 
ridden  ahead  of  his  returning  brigade,  and  was  standing 
upon  a  parapet  of  the  gallantly-defended  redoubt,  as  he 
observed  a  youth,  with  his  arm  in  a  sling,  who  had 
returned  from  the  pursuit,  place  his  tattered  boot  under 
the  staff  of  the  prostrate  banner  and  hurl  it  contemptously 
from  him,  ^^  Boy  !  How  dare  you  !  Furl  that  banner, 
sir,  and  deliver  it  to  your  adjutant ! " 

While  the  youth  was  sullenly  obeying  the  peremptory 
order,  Dick  came  up,  "and  after  watching  the  operation 
until  it  was  completed,  he  said,  with  a  persuasive  grin  : 

"  Boss,  1^11  give  you  a  silver  dollar  for  dat  flag/' 

^^  What  do  you  want  it  for  ?  "  inquired  the  angry  youth. 

"  I  wants  it  to  sen'  my  ole  mammy  for  a  bed-quilt. 
Mars'  Chyarles  sent  his  ma  one  for  a  trophy  or  somethin', 
an'  me  an'  him  is  sorter  pardners,  you  know." 

"All  right,"  said  the  young  scapegrace,  glancing  up 
to  see  that  the  general  was  no  longer  observing  him ;  "  but 
you  must  say  that  you  captured  it." 

"Yes,  sar ! "  agreed  Dick,  as  he  delivered  the  dollar, 
seized  the  banner,  and  ran  forward  to  meet  a  squad  of 
prisoners,  with  the  cry  : 

"  Bless  Gracious,  ef  dar  ain't  liars'  Cap'n  Conrad ! 
Howdy  do.  Mars'  Cap'n  ;  has  you  seed  Mars'  Chyarles  ?  " 

"  No,"  replied  the  young  captive  officer,  laughing,  and 
shaking  hands  with  the  delighted  negro,  "  I'm  a  prisoner 
this  time,  Dick.     Where  is  Stewart  ?  " 

"  I  dunno',  sar.  Out  in  de  woods  chasen'  you  all's 
fokes  somewheres." 

"  Where  did  you  get  our  banner  ?  " 


258  GRIM-TTSAGED  WAR. 

"  Dis  here  flag  ?     I  done  captured  it,  sar/' 

"  What  ?      Captured  it  ?     How  ? '' 

"  Well,  sah ;  I  gin  dat  young  boy  in  company  ^  A^  a 
dollar  for  it/^ 

"  A  new  and  dangerous  method  of  attack  upon  the 
star-spangled  banner,"  laughed  the  young  officer.  "  Don't 
let  the  ^  abolitioners '  find  it  out,  or  we'll  soon  have  no 
bunting  left.     By  the  by,  have  you  scalped  one  yet  ?  " 

^^  No,  sar  ;  I  ain't  seed  none  yet." 

"  Why  do  you  think  so  ?  " 

"  Cause  our  boys  says  dey  don't  fite,  and  dem  I  seed  fit 
mighty  savigrous." 

"  Well,  Dick,"  laughed  the  young  officer,  as  the  corporal 
intimated  that  the  squad  must  move  on  ;  "I  see  you  are  a 
very  knowing  fellow,  and  I  shall  ask  you  to  do  me  a  good 
turn.  Deliver  this  letter  to  Stewart — he  will  understand 
— and  as  the  corporal  has  been  so  modest  as  not  to  demand 
my  sword  you  shall  take  it  to  your  master  to  be  worn  in 
place  of  that  ^  fine '  one  he's  a  totin'  aroun'  till  I  cap- 
ture him.  Good-bye  ;  here  are  several  '  silver  dollars  ' 
for  you  to  drink  my  health  on ;  but  remember  they  are 
not  to  be  used  to  capture  a  battery  from  the  '  abolitioners.' " 

"  I  always  knowed,"  soliloquized  Dick,  as  he  delightedly 
scanned  each  silver  coin,  "  dat  Mars'  Cap'n  Conrad  was  a 
gent'man ;  same  as  ef  he  had  bin  borned  in  Alabamer,  or 
in  ole  Ferginny  hitself." 

When  the  battalion  returned  to  the  redoubt  to  collect 
up  the  wounded  who  were  not  unable  to  march,  they  were 
ordered  to  take  up  the  line  of  march,  and  to  camp  for  the 
night  five  miles  beyond  Williamsburg.  As  they  ascended 
the  hill,  they  met  General  Longstreet  and  staff,  returning 
with  his  coq3S,  to  the  scene  of  the  skirmish,  to  hold  three 
army  corps  in  check  for  the  next  forty  hours,  and  to 


"the  two  banners/'  259 

teach  them,  in  a  bloody  battle  on  the  next  day,  the  terrible 
force  that  may  be  given  to  a  back-handed  blow. 

As  the  battalion  passed  through  the  little  town,  still 
meeting  Longstreet's  people,  Dick  was  discovered  invest- 
ing a  part  of  his  wealth  in  ginger-cakes,  which  were  being 
counted  into  his  hat,  and  the  ranks  immediately  opened 
on  him  : 

"  Fall  in,  colored  sargeant ! " 

"  Unbuckle  yourself  from  that  sword.  Red  Jacket !  '* 

"  Crawl  out  from  under  that  banner.  Black  Hawk  ! '' 

"  Bless  Gracious  V^  ejaculated  Dick,  gathering  his  hat  and 
cakes  under  his  unoccupied  arm  ;  "  ef  dar  ain't  we-all  ! 
Where's  Mars'  Chyarles  ?  "  he  inquired,  running  to  meet 
the  command. 

The  young  master  having  been  found,  the  sword,  letter 
and  message  were  delivered ;  the  sable  warrior  declared 
that  he  had  captured  the  flag  honestly,  and  stuffing  his 
mouth  full  of  ginger-bread,  he  fell  into  his  usual  place 
behind  the  flag,  where  the  two  banners  marched  along 
together  as  quietly  and  peacefully  as  if  a  million  of  lives 
and  thousands  of  millions  of  money  were  not  to  be  sacri- 
ficed to  furl  one  and  unfurl  the  other. 

As  soon  as  his  command  halted  for  the  night,  the  young 
man  went  into  an  adjacent  farm  house,  and  wrote  to  sev- 
eral friends  in  Richmond,  bespeaking  kind  offices  toward 
his  prisoner  friend.  On  the  reverse  side  of  the  letter  to 
Miss  Seymour,  he  wrote,  after  the  date  :  "  Captured  this 
day,  at  Williamsburg — unhurt.     Address  reply  to  Libby 

Prison,  Richmond,  Va.     Care  of  Hon. ," 

and,  finding  an  unexpected  opportunity,  he  sent  the  letters 
forward  to  Richmond  that  night  in  the  hands  of  a  refugee 
from  the  peninusula. 

More  than  two  months  elapsed  before  ^Ir.  Stewart  had 


260  GKIM-VISAGED   WAR. 

an  opportunity  to  visit  Richmond  for  the  purpose  of 
seeing  his  friend  in  the  Ijibby  prison.  In  the  meantime 
he  had  seen  the  "  grandest  army  that  ever  trod  the  planet '' 
hurled,  defeated  and  demoralized,  from  the  defenses  around 
Richmond,  and  only  saved  from  utter  ruin  and  annihilation 
by  the  consummate  ability  of  its  gallant  commander,  and 
by  the  absence  of  proper  concert  of  action  on  tlie  part  of 
some  of  the  general  officers  of  the  noble  Lee.  Would  the 
assertion  be  a  startling  one  that  the  rock  upon  which  the 
Confederacy  split  was  a  lack  of  the  self-sacrificing  devo- 
tion to  the  cause,  and  of  the  prompt  and  unhesitating 
obedience  to  orders,  at  all  times  and  at  all  hazards,  on  the 
part  of  many  general  and  field  officers,  such  as  character- 
ized the  rank  and  file  of  the  army  ?  That  more  of  stern 
discipline,  and  less  of  tender  magnanimity  toward  these, 
might  have  put  the  young  Confederacy  into  the  haven  of 
her  hopes  before  she  cruised  on  to  the  "shallows  and 
miseries  "  of  exhaustion  ? 

The  young  man  felt  a  selfish  disappointment  on  learning 
that  his  friend  had  been  paroled  and  sent  to  Harrison's 
Landing,  where  his  demoralized  comrades  were  lying, 
astounded  and  crestfallen,  under  cover  of  their  numerous 
gunboats  on  the  James  river.  At  the  home  of  a  relative 
who  received  and  forwarded  his  mail,  he  found,  among 
many  other  letters,  one  which  bore  no  post-mark,  and  on 
which  he  recognized  Captain  Conrad's  free,  bold  chirog- 
raphy.  What  was  his  surprise,  on  tearing  it  open,  to  find 
it  contained,  in  addition  to  a  short  note  from  his  friend,  a 
sealed  envelope,  addressed  to  himself,  in  Miss  Seymour's 
beautiful,  round,  smooth  hand.  He  read  his  friend's 
note :  "  Old  fellow,  vour  friends  came  to  see  me,  and 
showed  me  every  kindness.  I  am  to  be  paroled,  and  I 
shall  go  to  see  them  in  person  ;    but  T  shall  have  no 


(Teneral  Robert  E.  Lee. 


"a  delicate  intimation."  263 

opportunity  to  express  to  you  my  deep  sense  of  obligation 
for  your  thoughtful  kindness.  God  grant  that  our  com- 
mands may  not  be  fated  to  meet  each  other  in  battle  again. 
We  are  brothers  in  heart,  but  how  widely  separated  in  all 
else  ?  May  the  god  of  battles  keep  and  preserve  you  ! '' 
But  he  could  not  tear  the  envelope  of  the  other  open 
immediately. 

Placing  it  in  the  breast  pocket  of  his  coat,  he  proceeded 
to  Capitol  Square,  and,  after  promenading  the  shaded 
walks  for  some  time,  he  threw  himself  upon  the  green 
turf,  and  opening  the  envelope,  tenderly  and  with  slightly 
trembling  hands,  he  read  what  he  recognized  as  a  free 
translation  and  adaptation  of  a  German  song,  which  had 
often  caused  a  thrill  of  sadness  to  steal  over  his  heart,  as 
he  listened  to  its  plaintive  melody  from  the  lips  of  her 
whom  his  soul  had  enshrined : 

"  The  long,  long  weary  day 
Is  past  in  grief  away ; 
And  ah  !     I'm  sadly,  sadly  weeping ! 
When,  from  my  window's  height, 
I  look  out  on  the  night, 
I  still  am  weeping, 
My  lone  watch  keeping ! " 

"  For  he,  alas !  is  gone, 
Whose  heart  was  mine  alone ; 
And  still  I'm  sadly,  sadly  weeping ! 
Ah  !  will  he  ne'er  come  more, 
And  love  me  as  before  ? 

And  say  cease  weeping. 

Thy  lone  watch  keeping  ?  " 

This  was  all ;  not  another  letter  or  character  was  there; 
and  the  young  man  sighed  to  see  so  much  unoccupied 
virgin  space  on  the  sheet,  bearing  messages  only  to  his 
imagination,  but   such   messages  as  caused  his  heart  to 


264  GRIM-VISAGED  WAR. 

thrill  again,  while  it  wept  ^vith  sad  loving  sympathy. 
Ah !  the  cruel,  gentle,  unbelieving  believer  !  The  dar- 
ling image  in  plastic  clay  !  Lying  at  full  length  upon 
the  turf,  he  closed  his  eyes,  and  remained  motionless  for 
some  time,  while  precious  reminiscences,  now  wearing  the 
black  robes  of  mourning,  flitted  through  his  mind,  causing 
a  dewy  moisture  occasionally  to  fringe  his  eye-lashes. 

Like  a  weary  traveler,  being  called  during  the  dark- 
ness of  night  to  resume  a  wearisome  journey,  came  the 
voice  of  Captain  Flournoy,  recalling  his  mind  to  the  sad 
realities  of  the  present : 

"  Hello,  Stewart,  old  fellow  !  Playing  dead  soldier  on 
a  pleasant  battle-field,  eh  ?  Lively  times  at  camp.  No 
rest  for  the  weary.  Three  days  rations  to  be  cooked,  if 
the  cooks  can  find  the  rations.  Another  ^  greatest  captain 
of  the  age '  in  the  field.  Got  to  pull  down  the  bars  and 
turn  him  out.  Up  on  the  Rappahannock  this  time ;  don't 
know  how  to  run ;  never  heard  of  retreat.  Never  saw 
anything  but  the  gray  back  of  a  Reb.  Headquarters  in 
the  saddle.  Too  terribly  terrible  for  an}i:liing.  IMaking 
war  on  women,  children,  horses,  mules,  wardrobes,  je^^elry- 
boxes,  smoke-houses,  pig-styes,  and  hen-roosts.  These  three 
P's  will  surely  cause  us  to  P — eg  out ;  Phearful  Phorager 
Pope  is  on  the  rampage  !" 

Sad  as  had  been  the  young  man's  feelings,  he  sprang  to 
his  feet,  with  a  hearty  laugh  at  his  friend's  facetious 
humor,  and  accompanied  him  on  the  long  tramp  back  to 
camp.  Arriving  there,  he  read,  in  a  dispatch  to  one  of 
the  Richmond  papers : 

"  Pope  has  thrown  open  all  the  country,  occupied  or  controlled  by 
his  soldiers  to  unlimited  spoliation,  and  the  land  is  being  ravaged  by 
a  horde  of  barbarians ! " 


"lines  of  retreat." 


265 


In  a  candid  and  honorable  Northern  journal,  he  read : 

"  Rapid  strides  toward  villainy  have  been  made  Avithin  the  last  two 
weeks ;  men  who  at  home  would  have  shuddered  at  the  thought  of 
touching  another  man's  property,  now  appropriate  remorselessly 
whatever  comes  within  their  reach.  Thieving,  they  imagine,  has 
now  become  an  authorized  practice." 

Alas  for  blind  hate  !  Alas  for  fanatical  insanity ! 
Within  less  than  one  short  month  from  the  merry  fry  in' 
bee'  of  rancid  salt  pork,  the  magnificent  Lee  and  the 
splendid  Jackson,  with  their  overworked  little  army  of 


Headquarters  in  the  Field. 


ragged  heroes,  had  lain  Mr.  Pope's  fame  to  rest  forever  in 
"  honor's  truckle-bed,"  while  he  himself  pursued,  with 
frantic  eagerness,  "  lines  of  retreat,"  which  there  was  no 
time  to  study,  but  which  instinct  taught  him. 


CHAPTER  Xyil. 

Love  and  Ethnology. 

"  Dissembled  love  is  like 
The  poison  of  perfumes ,  a  killing  sweetness." — Sewell. 

"Shame  on  the  policy  that  first  began 
To  tamper  with  the  heart  I " — Havard's  Kegulus. 

ON  the  morning  of  Mr.  Deaderick's  departure,  with  his 
slaves  for  New  Orleans,  he  had  sent  Henry's  wife 
and  children,  together  with  the  brother  of  the  woman, 
over  to  ^'  The  Oaks,"  with  a  polite  note  to  Fox,  stating  that 
he  had  thought  better  of  his  unfeeling  and  unchristian 
resolve  to  take  the  woman  and  children  away  from  the 
husband  and  father ;  but  as  he  had  made  a  vow  that  he 
would  not  sell  them  to  Mr.  Stewart,  they  were  sent  over 
as  a  present,  if  they  would  be  so  accepted.  If  not,  then 
Fox  was  to  dispose  of  them  as  he  saw  fit. 

In  New  Orleans,  Mr.  Deaderick  found  that  while 
negroes  had  not  depreciated  in  price,  there  was  so  little 
money  in  circulation,  that  it  was  next  to  impossible  to  sell 
them  for  cash.  This  did  not  disturb  the  shrewd  young 
man  in  the  least,  for  his  great  faith  in  the  overwhelming 
power  of  the  North  caused  his  prescient  vision  to  see 
clearly  the  fate  of  that  beautiful  city  in  the  near  future. 
And  knowing  that  cotton  and  sugar,  particularly  the 
former,  must  advance  rapidly  and  greatly  at  the  North, 
while,  for  the  want  of  a  market  for  the  former,  it  must  be 
practically  valueless  as  a  cash  commodity  in  the  South,  he 

266 


"changing  an  investment."  267 

gladly  sold  his  negroes  in  families  for  their  full  cash  value 
in  gold,  and  took  hogsheads  of  sugar  and  bales  of  cotton, 
at  a  low  price,  in  lieu  of  cash.  The  sugar  he  converted 
quickly  into  cotton,  and  having  good  credit  at  the  banks, 
founded  partly  on  the  thousands  of  bales  of  cotton  which 
he  was  beginning  to  store  up,  he  became  a  large  cotton 
broker  and  speculator.  But  he  never  sold  a  lot  except  for 
the  purpose  of  going  into  the  up-country  and  replacing  it 
with  a  larger  and  better  lot ;  so  when  the  Federal  army 
entered  that  city,  they  found  an  Alabama  ex-slaveholder 
its  largest  cotton  owner,  and  the  one  representative — or 
supposed  representative — of  that  anomalous  animal,  the 
"  Union  man  "  in  the  South,  after  the  war  had  begun,  who 
preferred  to  be  ihougld  a  traitor  to  the  principles  of  his 
fathers  and  to  his  friends  and  kindred,  rather  than  be 
knovm  to  be  a  coward. 

Being  possessed  of  a  passably  fair  education,  and  of  fine 
personal  appearance,  with  a  good  address,  the  young  man 
made  his  way  slowly  into  some  of  the  best  circles  of  society, 
and  had  succeeded  in  making  the  acquaintance  of  a  very 
wealthy  family  by  the  name  of  D'Elfons,  consisting  only 
of  an  aged  widow  and  an  invalid  daughter  of  uncertain 
age.  He  became  a  frequent  visitor  at  their  house, 
and  seemed  to  take  great  interest  in  little  scraps  of  family 
history  that  occasionally  fell  from  the  lips  of  the  younger 
lady,  whose  eccentricity  at  times  seemed  to  him  to  border 
on  the  confines  of  incipient  insanity.  A  cautious  exercise  of 
one  of  the  predominating  faculties  of  his  people  gave  him 
a  meagre  and  rather  disjointed  history  of  the  family.  He 
learned  that  the  old  lady  had  separated  from  her  husband 
in  early  life,  and  that  the  latter  had  subsequently  married  a 
"  low  woman "  in  New  Orleans,  and  amassed  a  very  large 
fortune.     That  after  the  old  man's  death  an  impostor,  whom 

17 


268  LOVE   AND   ETHNOLOGY. 

he  had  accepted  as  a  relative,  got  possession  of  his  papers 
and  wealth  and  sold  the  second  Avife — who  had  been  a 
slave — into  slavery  again,  with  her  two  children.  That, 
on  the  death  of  the  impostor,  it  was  found  the  old 
man's  papers  had  not  been  destroyed,  and  that  he  had 
manumitted  and  been  married  to  this  second  wife  privately ; 
and  that  only  the  delicate  and  declining  health,  and  the 
violent  feelings  of  her  mother  prevented  the  younger  lady 
from  seeking  the  supposed  slaves  and  putting  them  in 
possession  of  their  rights. 

When  the  Federal  troops  entered  the  distracted  city, 
Mr.  Deaderick  met  them  with  open  arms,  and  though  he 
was  believed  to  be  a  Southern  man,  his  relations  with  the 
officers  were  of  the  most  friendly  and  cordial  nature  until 
the  promulgation  of  General  Butler's  infamously  cele- 
brated order  of  May  15th,  known  as  the  ^'Woman's 
Order."  He  had  imprudently  protested  against  this  order 
as  a  cowardly  and  brutal  exercise  of  military  power ;  and 
had,  in  consequence,  fallen  under  the  displeasure  of  those 
who  had  thus  foolishly  published  to  the  civilized  world 
their  bitter,  unmanly  and  inhuman  resentment  of  the  proud 
scorn  of  helpless  beauty.  Still,  his  sojourn  in  the  Crescent 
City — which  was  destined  to  see  despotic  rule  advance 
step  by  step  until  civilization  should  grow  sick  from  con- 
templating the  hideous  spectacle — might  have  been  pleasant 
for  a  short  time  longer,  had  it  not  happened  that,  in  pass- 
ing along  St.  Charles  street  one  evening,  he  encountered  a 
lady,  whom  he  had  met  in  society,  struggling  in  the  arms 
of  a  drunken  soldier,  in  a  frantic  effort  to  prevent  his 
bloated  lips  from  coming  in  contact  with  her  features. 
Whatever  may  have  been  the  faults  and  failings  of  the 
young  man,  a  lack  of  the  common  instincts  of  manhood 
was  not  one  of  them,  and  in  an  instant  the  brute  waa 


"protecting  helpless  beauty/^  269 

hurled  by  a  herculean  blow  iu  the  face  against  the  sharp 
corner  of  a  stone  building  ten  feet  away,  and  lay,  with  his 
skull  fractured  by  the  fall,  apparently  mortally  hurt,  and 
bleeding  profusely  at  the  mouth  and  nose.  "  Run  !  '^  he 
shouted  to  the  lady,  as  he  stooped  and  drew  the  fallen 
man's  bayonet  from  its  scabbard,  to  protect  himself  from 
capture  by  a  soldier  and  half  a  dozen  negroes,  who  had 
been  looking  on,  in  great  glee,  at  the  execution  of  General 
Butler's  order  in  the  mild  manner  rendered  necessary  by 
the  publicity  of  the  place. 

The  sight  of  bright  steel  in  the  hands  of  a  powerful 
man  was  enough  to  put  the  negroes  to  flight ;  but  a  vig- 
orous and  effective  thrust  in  the  side  with  the  bayonet, 
was  necessary  to  cause  the  white  man  to  join  in  the  flight; 
and  the  young  man  being  now  "  master  of  the  situation,'' 
but  fearing  his  ability  to'  continue  so,  in  view  of  the  fact 
that  he  heard  the  tramping  of  feet  around  the  corner,  he 
threw  the  bayonet  away  and  taking  the  advice  he  had 
given  the  lady,  disappeared  with  commendable  celerity. 

During  the  night  he  ascertained  that  the  soldier  whom 
he  had  hurled  against  the  building  had  died ;  and  feeling 
satisfied  that  he  must  ultimately  be  recognized  by  some  of 
those  who  witnessed  the  encounter,  he  determined  to  quit 
the  city.  It  is  true  he  could  ha^^e  found  witnesses  by 
whom  to  prove  his  Northern  birth  and  sympathy,  but  they 
were  Southern  white  people,  a  whole  city  full  of  whom 
he  well  knew  would  be  counted  as  naught  against  the  con- 
flicting testimony  of  a  "  colored  gentleman  ; "  so  he  set 
speedily  to  work  in  preparation  for  his  departure. 

During  the  next  day  he  kept  himself  closeted  with  his 
agent,  to  whom  he  gave  instructions  to  ship  his  cotton — 
about  three  thousand  bales — to  New  York,  with  instruc- 
tions that  cheap  storage  be  found  for  it,  and  it  be  held 


270  LOVE   AND   ETHNOLOGY. 

until  the  market  price  reached,  or  nearly  approximated, 
one  dollar  per  pound,  unless  he  should,  in  person,  order 
a  sale  at  a  lower  figure.  Having  arranged  all  business 
matters  satisfactorily,  he  passed  through  the  lines  that 
night  and  made  his  way  back  to  Alabama,  whither  he 
was  attracted  by  a  more  inviting  field  of  speculation. 

On  the  next  morning,  after  his  arrival  at  home,  where 
he  had  left  two  house  servants  with  a  view  of  again  making 
a  sojourn  there,  he  rode  over  to  "The  Oaks,"  and  inquired 
for  Fox.  On  being  informed  that  Fox  was  absent  in 
Georgia,  but  was  expected  back  daily,  he  inquired  for 
"  Miss  D'Elfons." 

"Ef  dat's  marmsell  you's  a  talkin^  about,"  said 
mammy,  looking  at  him  curiously,  "  she's  ^bout  de  green- 
house some  whar,  an'  you  kin  look  for  her  out  dar." 

Walking  around  to  the  green-house,  he  found  Marienne 
looking  after  some  cuttings  that  were  being  rooted.  She 
returned  his  very  warm  but  respectful  greeting  politely, 
and  as  he  immediately  broached  the  subject  that  had 
brought  him  over,  she  was  soon  gazing  at  him  in  undis- 
guised astonishment. 

"  You  have  never  heard  of  my  proposition  to  Mr. 
Stewart  ?  "  he  exclaimed,  now  regreting  that  he  himself 
had  mentioned  it.  "I  am  surprised  at  that !  But  my 
object  was  not  to  keep  you  bound  by  the  shackles  of 
slavery ;  but  on  the  contrary,  to  unlock  your  fetters  and 
make  you  as  free  as  the  life-giving  air  that  fans  your 
cheek.  You  may  ask  why  I  did  not  free  those  who 
belonged  to  me  before  setting  out  to  do  missionery  work 
of  that  kind ;  and  my  answer  is  that  they  are  of  a  baser 
blood  and  have  not  the  same  claim  upon  my  sympathy. 
If  this  answer  shall  be  deemed  unsatisfactory  I  have 
another,  and  one  which  will  lay  bare  the  soul  of  the 


"maexng  love.''  271 

matter.  Two  years  ago  at  a  barbecue  you  thought  I 
presumed  upon  my  position  to  speak  words  to  you  that 
you  deemed  insulting  to  a  slave.  Those  words  would 
have  been  deemed  the  very  opposite  of  insulting  had  they 
been  addressed  to  any  other  lady  in  the  land,  and  my  only 
fault  lay  in  forgetting,  for  the  moment,  that  you  were  a 
slave.  I  now  desire  to  see  you  a  free  woman  that,  without 
the  fear  of  giving  offense,  I  may  speak  those  words  again ; 
may  give  free  rein  to  my  long-restrained  desire  to  tell  you 
that  I  love  you  with  all  my  heart  and  soul,  and  that  you 
alone  of  all  the  world  can  make  me  a  haj^py  man.^' 

When  the  young  man  ceased  speaking,  IMarienne,  who 
was  leaning  against  a  bench  of  the  green-house,  gazed  at 
him  with  that  peculiar  expression  which  betokens  an 
entire  absence  of  self-consciousness,  until  his  flushed  face 
and  embarrassed  manner  recalled  her  thoughts  to  herself. 
Then,  speaking  with  something  of  an  air  of  bewilder- 
ment, she  said : 

"  Your  manner,  Mr.  Deaderick,  is  intended  to  assure  me 
that  you  are  dealing  candidly  with  me ;  and  this  being 
the  case  I  have  no  right  to  assume  that  you  are  not. 
Assuming  that  you  are,  candor  on  my  part  compels  me  to 
say  that  I  do  not  wish  you  to  interest  yourself  in  my  wel- 
fare. If  I  could  consent  to  become  your  manumitted 
slave,  I  should  be  witliout  a  protector  and  without  means 
of  support,  unless  I  accepted  your  hand  in  marriage. 
Were  I  to  do  that  you  could  not  raise  me  to  your  level  in 
society,  and  you  would  be  chafed  to  find  yourself  com- 
pelled to  descend  to  a  lower  plane  on  my  account." 

"  Do  not  say  that ! "  replied  the  young  man,  earnestly ; 
"I  should  care  nothing  for  the  sneers  of  self-satisfied 
'  society ; '  for  I  should  prize  you  above  society,  and  above 
all  the  world.     Beside,  I  should  take  you  to  the  North, 


272  LOVE  AND  ETHNOLOGY. 

and  make  you,  as  you  should  be,  the  queen  of  society; 
for  there  thought  is  free." 

"  Do  not  deceive  yourself.  Thought  there  is  less  free 
than  here.  My  reading,  which  has  been  quite  extensive 
and  discursive,  so  far  as  periodical  literature  is  concerned 
at  least,  teaches  me  that  there  are  no  people  more  self- 
satisfied,  or  more  scornful  of  all  others,  than  those  of  the 
!North.  Political  animosity  has  made  sympathy  with  the 
slave  fashionable  there,  but  that  sympathy  is  an  exotic 
public  sentiment,  while  the  indigenous  individual  senti- 
ment is  hatred  of  the  negro  as  the  most  inferior  of  all 
races.  Here  the  sentiment  is  individual  sympathy  and 
pity  for  an  inferior  race ;  nothing  more  nor  less.  This*is  a 
healthy  and  stable  sentiment.  All  thought  here  is  healthy. 
It  sends  its  roots  into  the  stable  earth  and  its  branches  into 
the  purifying  sunlight.  But  puritan  thought  at  the  North 
is  like  the  Australian  orchis,  which,  scorning  to  send  its 
roots  into  the  wholesome  earth,  attaches  itself  to  some 
barren  rock,  and  feels  out  with  them  to  catch  all  that  may 
be  noxious  in  the  atmosphere,  and  ripens  its  fruit  with 
medicinal  or  poisonous  properties  according  to  the  prevail- 
ing direction  of  the  fickle  winds.  Were  I  to  go  there  with 
you,  this  fruit,  which  would  now,  no  doubt,  be  wholesome 
for  me^  perhaps  a  few  years  hence  would  be  quite  the 
reverse.  No ;  I  love  the  South ;  its  stability  and  conser- 
vatism. I  know  my  exact  "position,  and  am  satisfied  with 
it." 

"  But  think  of  the  degredation  which  man's  laws  here 
put  upon  your  mother's  race  !  The  South  is  unprogres- 
sive  and  hide-bound  in  its  ideas,  if  you  will  permit 
the  expression." 

"  The  South  is  less  progressive  in  some  respects  than 
the  North ;  but  progress  here  means  improvement  in  all 


"man's  laws/^  273 

that  relates  to  social  advancement  or  civilization.  We 
cannot  say  the  same  of  New  England.  Her  w7ihide-bound 
ideas,  if  you  will  permit  the  expression,  sometimes,  I  may 
say  often,  progress  in  the  wrong  direction.  If  by  my 
mother's  race  you  mean  the  negro  race,  I  must  say,  as  far 
as  its  degradation  is  concerned,  that  I  fear  you  are  not  a 
careful  student  of  ethnology,  if  you  consider  that  man's 
laws  have  ever,  in  any  age  or  country,  had  any  influence 
toward  degrading  it  or  any  part  of  it." 

"  Do  not  the  laws  here  keep  him  in  bondage  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  and  has  not  that  bondage  elevated  him  from  a 
savage  of  the  lowest  type,  with  his  hand  turned  against 
all  mankind,  to  a  civilized  and  tractable  creature  ?  Are 
not  the  slaves  here  as  far  superior  to  their  ancestors,  or 
the  present  race  of  their  brothers,  in  Africa  as  the  white 
people  here  are  to  the  slaves  ?  " 

"  I  am  surprised  to  hear  you  speak  so  contemptuously 
of  the  race  ?  " 

"  Because  my  mother  had  a  little  oi  their  blood  ?  But 
a  simple  statement  of  facts,  that  cannot  be  contradicted  is 
no  evidence  of  contempt.  So  far  from  feeling  contempt, 
I  feel  a  very  warm  regard  for  many  negroes,  but  this  does 
not  close  my  eyes  to  facts  concerning  their  race." 

"  You  do  not  consider  the  fact  that  the  negro  in  his 
native  land  has  labored  under  peculiar  disadvantages. 
For  the  most  part,  he  has  been  isolated  by  the  burning 
and  barren  wastes  around  him,  from  that  contact  with 
outside  peoples,  and  influences  which  history  teaches  tends 
so  greatly  to  originate  civilization." 

"  Not  to  originate  it !  I  think  you  have  misread  the 
lessons  of  history  on  that  subject.  Scientific  research  has 
taught  that  civilization  has  originated  only  in  such  locali- 
ties as  are  isolated  and  shut  off  from  outside  influences. 


274  LOYE   AND   ETHNOLOGY. 

The  necessary  conditions  seem  to  have  been,  according  to 
Virginia's  great  scientist,  Maury,  a  bright  sky,  a  mild 
climate,  a  dry  atmosphere — or  low  dew  point,  as  he 
expresses  it — and  virtually  insuperable  barriers  against 
outside  influences.  Several  parts  of  the  interior  of  Africa 
possess  all  of  these  requirements,  and,  to  the  student  of 
ethnology  it  is  an  interesting  and  significant  fact  that  of 
all  mankind,  the  negro  is  the  only  race  on  which  those 
conditions  have  failed  to  produce  an  indigenous  civiliza- 
tion. '' 

^^  The  British  Isles  are,  or  were,  before  boats  were 
built,  quite  isolated  from  outside  influences,  and  I  do  not 
think  you  can  credit  them  with  an  indigenous  civiliza- 
tion.'^ 

"  No ;  but  they  were  too  large  to  serve  as  a  proper  nur- 
sery for  the  tender  germ.  So  large  as  to  contain  within 
themselves  the  destructive  element — hostile  tribes  or  clans. 
Beside,  I  imagine  people  have  been  going  about  in  boats 
since  I^oah  fashioned  the  Ark ;  and  beside,  again,  those 
Isles  lack  two  of  the  necessary  requirements — ^bright  skies 
and  a  dry  atmosphere.  But  when  the  seeds  of  an  exotic 
civilization  were  spread  there  they  took  vigorous  root 
immediately,  while  that  portion  of  the  negro  race  which 
was  in  contact  with  Egyptian  civilization  scores  of  cen- 
turies ago  is  to-day  what  it  is  represented  by  Egyptian 
pictures  to  have  been  then,  notwithstanding  the  efforts 
that  have  been  directed  toward  them.  From  the  building 
of  the  pyramids,  or  the  fashioning  of  the  Sphinx — in  both 
of  which  they  took  a  part  as  menials  or  slaves — down  to 
the  present  day,  they  have  proved  themselves,  not  only 
incapable  of  originating  a  civilization,  but  of  acquiring 
it  from  others  who  were  desirous  to  impose  it  on 
them,  except  w^hen  scattered   among  a  civilized   people, 


'^  INDIAN  CIVILIZATION."  275 

upon  condition  that  made  them  subservient  to  their 
mastery.'' 

"  If  your  inference  is  that  because  of  these  facts  the 
negro  proves  himself  to  be  an  inferior  race,  you  will  have 
to  regard  the  Indian  in  the  same  light,  for  he  has  failed 
to  acquire  our  civilization.  You  must  apply  your  theory 
in  extensoJ^ 

"The  theory'  is  not  mine,  and  it  is  far  more  than  a 
theory.  But  the  Indian  is  acquiring  our  civilization 
since  we  have  begun  to  send  him  Bibles  instead  of  New 
England  rum.  I  consider,  of  course,  every  branch  of  the 
Mongolian  race  as  inferior  to  the  Caucasian,  but  the 
Indian,  beside  showing  an  ability  and  a  willingness  to 
accept  the  best  as  well  as  the  worst  elements  of  our  civili- 
zation, originated  for  himself  a  civilization  quite  equal 
to  that  of  his  kindred,  the  Chinese,  in  the  only  spots  on 
the  American  continent  that  possessed  all  of  the  necessary 
requirements.  You  do  the  race  great  injustice  to  ignore 
the  wonderful  civilization  of  the  Incas  around  their  beau- 
tiful lake  in  South  America,  and  the  magnificent  splendor 
of  the  Aztecs  in  the  terra  teniplada  of  Mexico." 

"  Yes ;  I  admit  that  I  made  the  remark  without  consid- 
eration. There  may  be  as  much  difference  in  the  races  of 
men  as  in  the  breeds  of  horses,  or  of  dogs,  if  you  will 
excuse  the  comparison,  only  it  is  not  the  custom  in  my 
country  to  think  so.  There,  physical  manhood,  without 
reference  to  race  characteristics,  or  mental  or  moral  pecu- 
liarities, is  the  object  of  sentimental  regard ;  here  it  seems 
to  be  an  ability  to  receive  and  retain  a  high  state  of  civili- 
zation. It  is  possible  that  your  standard  of  excellence 
may  be  the  better  one ;  but  permit  me  to  say  that  we  have 
traveled  very  far  from  the  subject  on  which  I  wish  to 
speak,  and  which  is  nearest  to  my  heart.     If  you  will 


276 


LOVE  AND   ETHNOLOGY. 


not  go  with  me  to  the  North,  I  will  take  you  to  Europe. 
I  am  wealthy — more  so  than  you  suppose — and  can  make 
you  a  prominent  figure  in  society  there." 

"I  have  flattered  myself  that  it  is  my  love  you 
seek,  Mr.  Deaderick,"  said  Marienne,  with  a  shade  of 
disappointment  in  her  countenance,  '^  and  if  so,  you  should 
not  speak  of  your  wealth,  or  the  advantages  it  might 
confer.     It  may  seem  incomprehensible  to   you  that  I 


Mr.  Deaderick's  Home. 


decide  to  remain  ^  in  bondage,^  but  I  must  repeat  that  I 
have  no  idea  of  changing  my  condition." 

"Pardon  me,"  replied  the  young  man,  with  embarrass- 
ment ;  "  I  spoke  of  my  wealth  only  to  show  you  that  I 
have  the  ability  to  make  you  happy  in  any  part  of  the 
globe  which  you  might  prefer  for  a  residence,  provided 
you  could  give  me  that  deep  and  tender  love,  of  which  I 
believe  you  to  be  capable.     The  poet  tells  us  that  ^  Love 


''some  hope  left."  277 

gives  itself,  and  is  not  bought/  and  I  ask  you  to  suffer 
your  love  to  give  itself  into  my  keeping,  and  only  mention 
my  wealth  to  show  you  that  there  can  be  no  extraneous 
circumstance  to  prevent  the  two  united  loves  from  pro- 
ducing perfect  happiness  for  you  as  well  as  for  me/' 

"  Mr.  Deaderick,"  said  Marienne,  very  seriously  "con- 
sidering my  position  and  yours,  you  have  paid  me  the 
highest  compliment  it  is  in  the  power  of  man  to  pay  to 
woman  ;  and  I  should  show  a  poor  appreciation  of  your 
unparalleled  generosity  if  I  could  be  willing  to  deceive 
you  or  allow  you  to  deceive  yourself.  You  have  won 
my  admiration,  but  I  should  be  unworthy  of  yours  if  I 
did  not  tell  you  that  I  do  not  think  I  can  ever  give  you 
a  more  tender  feeling.  I  regret  this,  but  I  have  no  doubt 
it  is  true  that  ^  Love  gives  itself,'  and  can  neither  be  given 
nor  withheld  by  any  act  of  volition.'' 

"  I  thank  you  for  your  kind  opinion  of  me,"  said  the 
young  man,  preparing  to  take  leave,  "  and  shall  not  regard 
anything  you  have  said  as  forbidding  my  suit.  Admira- 
tion is  the  beginning  of  love,  and  perfect  admiration  is  its 
perfection.  I  only  ask  you  now  to  permit  me  to  pay  my 
addresses  to  you,  and  to  feel  fully  assured  that  the  deepest 
and  warmest  love  of  my  heart  is  yours." 

Before  Marienne  could  speak  he  had  pressed  her  hand, 
and  left  the  greenhouse.  But  he  did  not  go  as  he  came. 
He  entered  its  doors  as  a  fortune-hunter,  but  left  them  a 
sincere  and  earnest  lover. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Waefaee  or  Brigandage? 

*  There's  ne'er  a  villain  dwelling  in  all  Denmark 
But  he's  an  arrant  knave." — Shakspeare's  Hamlet. 

"  To  vice  industrious,  but  to  noble  deeds, 
Timorous  and  slothful." — Milton's  Paradise  Lost. 

ON  the  morning  of  the  same  day  that  witnessed  the  com- 
mencement of  Mr.  Deaderick's  rather  novel  courtship, 
the  little  town  of  Barrensville  w^as  thrown  into  a  state  of 
extreme  excitement  by  the  announcement  that  a  brigade 
of  Federal  soldiers,  under  the  famous  General  Turchin — 
famous,  like  so  many,  alas !  on  his  side,  who  were  his 
superiors  in  rank,  if  not  in  manhood  and  civilization,  for 
no  deed  of  legitimate  war — was  coming  to  occupy  the  town, 
and  put  all  the  country  north  of  the  Tennessee  river  "  to 
rights  '^  generally.  As  Turchin's  fame  had  preceded  him, 
and  as  it  was  not  known  precisely  what  his  military 
method  of  putting  things  "  to  rights  '^  might  be  or  what 
there  was  that  needed  righting,  there  was  some  feeling  of 
apprehension  on  the  part  of  the  better  and  wealthier  class 
of  citizens. 

The  country  north  of  the  river  had  been  held  by  the 
Federals  since  the  fall  of  Nashville ;  but  as  it  was  not 
fiilly  occupied,  independent  squads  of  Confederate  soldiers 
from  the  south  side  of  the  river,  generally  men  on  furlough, 
and  rarely  more  than  three  or  four  together  at  a  time, 
would  dash  in  to  see  their  families  and  friends,  and  for 
^8 


"union  sentiment/^  279 

the  fun  of  a  joke  would  sometimes  deploy  as  skirmishers, 
thus  making  the  impression  on  some  marauding  squadron 
of  cavalry,  or  company'' of  infantry,  that  an  opposing 
force  was  in  their  front,  and  putting  them  to  precipitous 
flight.  Very  often  the  whole  sub-district  would  be  thrown 
into  a  fever  of  commotion  by  such  impudent  pranks  of 
the  reckless  young  "  rebels,"  and  it  was  very  annoying  to 
the  dignity  of  the  sub-district,  to  say  the  least. 

Of  course,  as  the  greater  number  of  these  merry,  young 
raiders  had  sisters,  or  sweethearts,  at  Barrensville,  that 
town  was  the  Mecca,  to  which  all  turned  their  faces 
before  recrossing  the  river ;  and  in  its  vicinity  some  of 
the  most  alarming  practical  jokes  had  been  perpetrated. 
It  was  General  Turchin's  high  resolve  to  "  put  to  rights  " 
this  courting  and  joking  business,  if  it  lay  within  the 
power  of  the  military  arm  of  his  goverment  to  do  so  ! 

In  the  beginning  of  the  war  excitement  there  had  been 
a  very  strong  Union  sentiment  in  the  little  town,  which 
had  prompted  a  small  squad  of  citizens  to  nail  the  United 
States  flag  to  the  highest  point  of  the  cupola  of  the 
court  house,  and  express  a  determination  to  keep  it  there, 
or  die  in  the  effort,  at  the  very  time  that  measures  were 
being  taken  to  organize  a  company  for  the  war.  The 
flag  was  shot  down  the  next  morning,  by  an  enthusiastic 
and  rather  fiery  young  gentleman,  who  drove  ten  miles, 
alone,  for  that  especial  purpose,*  but  this  disloyalty  to 
the  Southern  cause  was  something  so  unusual  and  novel, 
that  it  excited  only  laughter  and  ridicule,  on  the  part  of 
the  sober-sided  citizens  of  the  pleasant  little  village. 
Yet,  it  was  thought  afterward,  that  the  existence  of  a 
strong,   Union   sentiment  there,   and   the   fact  that   an 

*  Captain  John  B.  Floyd,  of  Wheeler's  Cavalry ;   promoted  after 
the  battle  of  Chickamauga. 


280  WARFARE   OR   BRIGANDAGE? 

eloquent  young  lawyer,  belonging  to  one  of  tlie  wealthiest 
and  most  influential  families,  had  actually  traveled  around 
making  speeches  denouncing  the  Confederacy,  and  threat- 
ening dire  evils  to  all  who  dared  to  take  up  arms  against 
the  Union,  should  have  recommended  the  people,  or  a 
portion  of  them,  at  any  rate,  to  the  mercy  of  Federal 
soldiers. 

But  it  was  sadly  amusing,  in  the  light  of  subsequent 
events,  to  see  the  difference  in  the  effect  of  the  news  of 
General  Turchin's  approach  upon  the  two  little  factions. 
One  retired  within  doors,  and  the  rumbling  of  furniture 
being  hastily  moved  about,  and  the  jingle  of  silver  plate 
being  roughly  handled,  told  of  preparations  for  an  emer- 
gency going  on  within.  The  other,  throwing  open  doors 
and  windows  and  displaying  flags  and  flowers — the  former 
hastily  gotten  up  for  the  occasion — stood  upon  the  streets 
with  smiling  faces. 

As  General  Turchin  and  his  staff  rode  through  the 
streets,  conducted  by  a  "  Union  '^  youth,  on  his  way  to  the 
public  square,  he  rewarded  only  with  a  cold  stare  the  doffed 
hats  and  other  manifestations  of  respect.  As  he  had  seen 
nothing  of  this  kind  before,  even  from  the  negroes,  it  is 
likely  that  he  believed  the  tokens  of  respect  and  welcome 
were  offered  in  sarcastic  irony ;  for  it  is  difficult  to  sup- 
pose that  a  gentleman  and  soldier,  so  polished  and  gallant, 
could  have  been  guilty  of  so  gross  a  violation  of  the  plainest 
requirements  of  courtesy.  Be  that  as  it  may,  he  had 
mapped  out  his  programme,  and  w^as  not  to  be  joked  out 
of  it,  w^hether  the  jokers  came  as  pretended  skirmishers  or 
pretended  friends  of  the  Union ;  and  after  forming  his 
brigade  on  the  public  square,  he  dismissed  the  men  with 
the  information  that  for  two  hours  he  should  close  his  eyes 
and  refuse  to  see  anything  that  might  occur,  no  matter  of 


"honest  northern  writers."  283 

what  nature.  "  Geutlemen,  behold  the  ^  sassy  ^  Kebs.,  the 
blushing  maidens  and  the  evidences  of  wealth  !  If  you 
are  not  too  highly  civilized  you  may  have  a  gay  time  for 
a  couple  of  hours  !  ^^ 

It  is  proper  that  a  writing  which  professes  to  deal,  to  a 
limited  extent,  in  fiction,  should  not  give  a  full  and 
accurate  account  of  such  scenes  as  then  occurred,  lest  the 
most  matter-of-fact  description  should  be  denounced  as  the 
wildest  vagaries  of  a  madly  riotous  imagination.  We  will 
give,  instead,  a  few  extracts  from  Federal  papers,  whose 
sympathy. with  the  outraged  community,  was  '  only  such 
as  every  fully  civilized  human  creature  must  feel  for  any 
fellow  creatures  under  circumstances  of  peculiar  trial  and 
distress.     Said  one : 

"  General  Turchin  informed  his  troops  that  he  would  shut  his  eyes 

for  two  hours  and  turn  them  loose  upon  tlie  town  and  citizens  of , 

Ala. ;  the  very  same  citizens,  who,  when  all  the  rest  of  the  state  was 
disloyal,  nailed  the  National  colors  to  the  highest  pinnacle  of  the  court 
house  cupola.  .  Houses  and  stores  were  broken  open  and  robbed  of 
everything  valuable ;  and  what  could  not  be  transiaorted  was  destroyed. 
Safes  were  broken  open  and  robbed  of  thousands  of  dollars.  Wives 
and  daughters  were  insulted,  and  husbands  and  fathers  arrested. 

■Jfr*********  *  -x-  * 

"  In  a  word,  every  outrage  was  committed  and  every  excess  indulged 
in,  by  means  of  which  a  brutal  force  could  disgrace  our  arms." 

Another,  making  comments  on  the  above,  said : 

"  Such  and  similar  acts  disgraced  our  arms  when  we  first  occupied 
Bowling  Green,  Ky. ;  and  the  matter  was  hushed  up  to  save  the  credit 
of  the  army. 

"  The  good  of  the  service  and  the  character  of  every  Union  soldier 
cries  for  the  punishment  of  such  disgraceful  conduct." 

And  another : 

"  The  conduct  of  some  of  these  men  was  the  woi'st  a  licentious  soldiery 
could  inflict  upon  defenceless  women ;    so  vile,  indeed,  that  an  officer 


284  WARFARE  OR  BRIGANDAGE? 

of  the  army,  who  regards  the  honor  of  his  cloth,  has  determined  to  lay 
the  matter  before  the  government.  Humanity  demands  retributive 
justice ! " 

And  still  another : 

"  General  Mitchell  and  a  portion  of  his  command  have  perpetrated 
in  North  Alabama  deeds  of  cruelty  and  of  guilt,  the  bare  narration  of 
which  makes  the  heart  sick.  The  particulars  of  the  case  will  be  laid 
before  the  authorities  at  Washington." 

And  one  more  : 

"  We  at  present  forbear  to  go  into  the  heart-sickening  particulars 
of  the  case ;  but,  if  necessary,  we  will  not  hesitate  to  do  so  hereafter. 
Meanwhile,  we  invoke  the  authorities,  as  they  value  the  National 
honor,  and  cherish  the  National  cause,  to  visit  swift  justice  upon  the 
epauletted  miscreants." 

We  will  not  publish  what  was  told  and  said  by  the 
''  Rebel  press/^  the  eye-witnesses,  or  the  sufferers,  for  this 
is  the  nineteenth,  and  not  the  ninth  century  ;  and  beside, 
we  are  not  disposed  to  furnish  the  Hottentots  with  evi- 
dence to  disprove  our  theory  that  any  and  all  sub-races  of 
the  Caucasian  family  are  superior  to  themselves.  But  in 
these  "  piping  times  of  peace ''  recollections  of  the  hor- 
rible scenes,  not  of  war — for  the  scenes  of  legitimate  war, 
while  often  grandly  terrible,  are  never  horrible — but  of 
destruction,  devastation,  rapine,  and  villainy,  that  were 
known  in  many  parts  of  the  South,  between  and  includ- 
ing the  years  1862  and  1865,  seem  to  thousands  in  the 
South,  who  were  then  in  the  spring-time  of  life,  like  the 
recollections  of  a  delirious  nightmare  in  which  they  passed 
from  joyous  youth  to  sorrowing  age  within  the  space  of  a 
hideous  dream. 

At  the  moment  when  General  Turchin  was  intimating,  to 
the  gentle  spirits  under  his  command  that  there  was  no 
particular  reason  why  they  should  not  throw  off  the 
trammels  of  civilization  for  a  little  pleasant  relaxation  and 


"military  visitoes  at  the  school."       285 

recreation,  Dr.  Hansel  sat  in  his  bed-chamber  holding  a 
family  council  with  Mrs.  Hansel  and  Miss  Seymour.  The 
latter  lady  was  looking  pale  and  sad,  but  more  beautiful, 
if  possible,  in  her  palid  sadness,  than  ever  before.  The 
subject  under  consideration  was  the  propriety  of  inviting 
General  Turchin  and  staff  to  dinner  on  the  next  day,  which 
proposition  was  opposed  by  both  ladies.  The  hand  of 
war  had  made  no  impression  upon  the  physical  surround- 
ings of  the  Atheneum.  The  grass  was  as  green,  the  oaks 
as  umbrageous,  and  the  flowers  as  beautiful  and  fragrant, 
as  when  watered  and  warmed  by  the  tears  and  smiles  of  beau- 
tiful nature  in  her  happiest  mood,  amid  the  joys  of  peace. 

The  comicil  of  three  had  been  in  session  perhaps  an 
hour,  when  it  was  unceremoniously  called  "  from  labor  to 
refreshment "  by  the  sudden  bursting  open  of  the  door ; 
and  Jane,  whose  complexion  was  usually  a  glossy  ebony, 
rushed  in,  looking  ashy  from  the  violent  effort  of  nature 
to  paint  pallid  fear  upon  her  countenance. 

"  Oh,  marster,"  she  exclaimed,  trembling  and  half 
choking  at  every  word,  "  dar's  a  whole  lot  o'  dem  Linkum 
Abolitioners  in  de  back  yard,  an^  one  of  'em  is  done 
hugged,  an'  kissed,  an'  rumpled  up.  Miss  Alice  Brandon, 
an'  den  ne  knocked  her  down  an'  kicked  her,  'cause  she 
spit  in  his  face." 

Dr.  Hansel  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  throwing  up  the  sash 
saw  a  soldier  assisting  the  half  fainting  young  lady  up 
the  back  steps,  and  heard  him  say  :  "  Run  to  your  room, 
sissy,  and  lock  the  door.  Some  of  our  boys  are  a  mighty 
hard  set."  At  a  little  distance  off  stood  a  squad  of  five 
others,  one  looking  flushed  and  angry,  and  the  others  evi- 
dently laughing  at  and  joking  him. 

"  Which  one  of  you  men,"  demanded  the  old  gentle- 
man, angrily,  "  insulted  and  abused  that  child  ?  " 

18 


286  WAEFARE   OR   BRIGANDAGE? 

"  What  business  is  that  of  yours,  you  d — fl  old  rebel  ?" 
angrily  exclaimed  the  rough,  burly  fellow  who  seemed  to  be 
the  butt  of  ridicule.  "  If  you  don't  pull  in  your  d — d  old 
sun-flower  of  a  noddle,  and  sing  mighty  small,  I'll  come 
up  there  and  pitch  you  out  of  that  window,  neck  and 
heels  ;  you  old  blear-eyed  rebel ;  shut  up  your  ugly  mug, 
d — m  you  ! " 

"  I  shall  report  you  to  General  Turchin,  sir ! "  shouted  the 
old  gentleman,  in  a  towering  rage,  "  and  see  that  your 
outrageous  conduct  is  severely  punished,  sir !  You  are  a 
disgrace  to  the  service,  and  to  your  country,  sir  !  Tell  me 
what  your  name  is,  sir  ! " 

"Ha!  ha!  boys,"  exclaimed  the  man,  with  a  fierce 
laugh,  "  the  bottle-nosed  old  cabbage-head  wants  to  know 
my  name !  Well  old  death's-head,  wait  till  I  get  up 
there.  By  the  God  that  made  Moses,  I'll  whisper  my 
name  into  your  ear,  and  then  cut  the  d — d  old  flopper  off 
and  make  you  eat  it !" 

"  Daughter,"  exclaimed  the  old  gentleman,  violently 
slamming  down  the  sash,  "  where  is  that  butcher  knife  I 
had  made  last  month  ?  " 

"  You  do  not  want  the  butcher  knife,  sir  !"  replied  Miss 
Seymour,  snatcliing  it  from  the  drawer  of  a  bureau,  and 
resisting  the  old  man's  efforts  to  obtain  possession  of  it. 
"  Kemember  that  ^  a  soft  answer  turneth  away  wTath ; ' 
and  remember  also  that  you  are  the  only  protector  of  a 
house  full  of  women  and  children  !  " 

Dr.  Hansel  had  not  time  to  seek  to  obtain,  through  the 
power  of  argument,  what  his  physical  force  could  not 
give  him  the  possession  of,  before  he  heard  the  rapid 
strides  of  the  angry  man  approaching  his  door,  which 
Jane  had  slammed  as  she  ran  out.  Going  forward  with 
the  determination   to   speak   the   soft  words  wdiich   the 


"a  'galIxA.nt  avenger  of  teeason.'"      287 

young  lady  had  recommended,  he  was  in  the  act  of  open- 
ing the  door,  when  a  blow  in  the  face  hurled  him  to  the 
centre  of  the  room,  a  stunned  and  bleeding  mass.  Mrs. 
Hansel,  overcome  by  the  sight  of  what  she  believed  to  be 
the  corpse  of  her  husband,  sank  upon  the  floor  in  a  swoon, 
as  the  soldier  sprang  into  the  room  for  the  purpose  of 
inflicting  further  punishment  upon  the  unresisting  object 
of  his  blind  passion.  But  a  sight  met  his  eyes  that  caused 
him  to  pause.  Miss  Seymour,  who  had  quickly  sprung 
to  the  aid  of  the  thoroughly  helpless  man,  stood  erect,  with 
the  rude  but  dangerous  looking  dagger  clasped  tightly  in 
her  delicate  hand,  and  gazed  into  the  eyes  of  the  intruder 
with  that  steady  and  unflinching  firmness  Avhich  is  said 
to  cause  even  wild  beasts  to  cower. 

"  Dare  to  touch  this  old  man  again,  you  cowardly 
wretch,"  she  said,  firmly  and  defiantly,  "  and  I  will  drive 
this  dagger  to  your  heart  ! " 

"  Ha  !  ha  !  my  little  beauty  of  a  she-devil,"  said  the 
man,  unable  to  meet  her  gaze,  but  glancing  at  her  fur- 
tively, "  I'll  fix  you  !  This  isn't  the  first  bout,  by  a  long 
shot,  that  I've  had  with  you  d — d  little  spit-fire  she- 
adders.  If  you'd  rather  have  my  bayonet  in  your  little 
rebel  bread-basket  than  to  treat  a  gentleman  with  proper 
civility,  why  the  fault  is  yours,  and  not  mine  and  you 
shall  be  accommodated  ! " 

"  Beware  w^hat  you  do,  sir  ! "  said  the  young  lady,  in  a 
low  firm  tone  of  voice,  still  gazing  fixedly  into  his  eyes. 
"  I  am  not  without  friends  on  the  Union  side  !  General 
Mitchell,  at  Huntsville,  is  a  friend  of  mine,  and  if  you 
want  to  cheat  the  gallows  of  its  just  due,  you  w^ill  beware. 
Put  up  your  bayonet,  sir ! "  she  added,  suddenly  and 
commandingly. 

Seeing  the  man  make  an  involuntary  motion  to  obey 


288  WARFAEE  OR  BRIGANDAGE? 

the  command,  but  instantly  resume  his  threatening  atti- 
tude, she  knew  that  the  proper  moment  had  come  for  her 
to  speak  the  soft  words  that  disarm  fierce  natures ;  and 
added,  immediately : 

"  This  old  man,  wliom  you  have  treated  so  brutally  is 
a  native  of  New  England,  and  a  friend  to  the  Union.  You 
richly  merit  severe  punishment,  but  if  you  will  go  imme- 
diately, and  take  away  the  men  who  are  tramping  through 
the  house,  I  shall  not  suffer  you  to  be  reported  for  your 
outrageous  conduct." 

"  Well,  "  said  the  man,  doggedly,  returning  his 
bayonet  to  his  scabbard,  ^'  as  you  belong  to  our  country, 
and  are  a  pet  of  the  general's,  I'll  let  you  off.  You're  a 
sassy  little  nug ;  and  the  sassyer  the  sweeter,  is  my  motto ; 
but  the  country  is  full  of  'em,  and  I'll  let  you  pass,  for 
the  general's  sake.  But  you  tell  that  d — d  old  jimson- 
blossom  on  the  floor  there  to  keep  a  civil  tongue  in  his 
head  hereafter  when  gentlemen  are  around.'^  And 
without  another  word,  the  "  gallant  avenger  of  treason" 
stalked  sullenly  away. 

After' ringing  violently  for  Jane,  the  young  lady  did 
what  she  could  for  her  mother  and  Dr.  Hansel,  and  Jane, 
not  having  made  her  appearance,  she  rang  again,  and 
went  to  the  window  to  see  if  the  soldiers  had  left  the 
grounds.  All  was  quiet  below,  but  glancing  across  the 
town  she  saw  vast  columns  of  black  smoke  issuing  from 
different  localities,  and  lazily  rolling  upward  to  join  the 
clouds.  But  in  the  town  no  one  seemed  to  have  noticed 
the  fact.  The  court  house  and  church  bells,  half  a  dozen 
in  number,  seemed  to  have  forgotten  to  "  shriek  out  their 
affnght,"  and  not  even  a  child's  voice  honored  the  besom 
of  destruction  with  so  much  as  a  cry  of  "  fire  ! "  But  a 
hoarse  dull  roar  of  shouts  and  "  ungodly  glee"  was  borne 


"a  new  method  of  attack."  291 

upon  the  gentle  breeze,  and  the  young  lady,  falling  upon 
her  knees,  and  clasping  her  fair  young  hands  before  the 
window,  as  if  deprecating  the  wrath  of  the  '^  deaf  and 
frantic  fire,"  she  sent  her  pure  spirit  upon  the  wings  of 
prayer  to  heaven,  in  a  devout  and  earnest  petition,  for 
confusion  upon  these  unworthy  representatives  of  the 
military  arm  of  her  government. 

Jane  had  heard  the  summons  of  the  bell,  but  was 
engaged  in  a  determined  effort  to  rescue  a  fine  watch  and 
chain,  belonging  to  one  of  her  favorites  in  the  school,  from 
the  possession  of  the  soldier,  who  had  shown  sympathy 
for  the  poor  little  Brandon  girl,  when  he  saw  her  so 
shamefully  abused.  But  he  had  no  sympathy  for  the 
inanimate  "thing  of  beauty,"  or  rather,  his  sympathy 
was  too  great,  and  he  had  determined  to  make  it  a  "joy 
forever "  to  his  lady-love  at  home.  Jane  had  decreed 
otherwise ;  and  despite  the  thrusting  of  his  elbows  into 
her  side,  in  the  scuffle,  and  his  efforts  to  choke  her  off,  she 
held  on  to  him  with  stubborn  determination.  Being 
unwilling  to  hurt  the  poor  girl  seriously,  the  man  finally 
changed  his  tactics,  and  throTN^ng  his  arms  around  her, 
commenced  hugging  and  kissing  her  furiously. 

"  Oh,  lawdy  ! "  exclaimed  the  girl,  tightening  her  hold 
on  the  watch,  "  dat  ain't  gwine  to  hurt  me.  I  ain't  so 
screamish  es  de  young  ladies  is.  Ef  you  kin  stan'  it  I 
kin  ;  but  ef  Dick  was  here,  he'd  bust  your  head  open ! 
It's  gwine  to  make  me  mighty  sick  to-morrow,  an'  I 
hopes  it'll  pizen  you,  but  I  kin  stan'  it  from  now  till 
den,  an'  I  hopes  you  kin,  you  mean  pizen  dog  ! " 

At  this  moment  the  soldier  who  had  assaulted  Dr. 
Hansel,  came  down,  and  laughingly  exclaimed : 

"  Oh,  give  the  girl  her  watch.  Garrison.  We  didn't 
cx)me  down  here  to  rob  niggers ;  and  what  would  Hannah 


292  WARFARE  OR   BRIGANDAGE? 

Phillips,  up  to  home,  think  if  she  should  hear  of  your 
hugging  and  kissing  another  girl  in  such  fashion." 

The  mention  of  his  dulcinea's  name  caused  the  soldier's 
arms  to  drop,  as  if  paralyzed ;  and  Jane,  suddenly  thrust- 
ing her  hand  into  his  pocket,  rescued  the  watch,  with  the 
angry  exclamation,  as  she  turned  to  leave  : 

"  You  mean  white-face  slink  !  I  has  heard  dat  nigger's 
slobber  is  pizen  to  Yankees ;  an'  I  hopes  you's  got  a  dose, 
dat'll  give  you  de  hiderfoby  ! " 

Jane  entered  the  room,  while  the  young  lady  was  still 
kneeling  before  the  window,  and  her  shrieks  and  lamen- 
tations soon  brought  half  a  dozen  or  more  of  the  larger 
school  girls  from  the  recitation-room,  in  which  they  had 
all  locked  themselves  together.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Hansel 
were  placed  upon  beds,  and  proper  restoratives  used. 
Jane  went  for  Adolphus  to  take  a  note  to  General  Turchin 
requesting  that  a  guard  be  sent  to  the  college  ;  but  that 
worthy  could  not  be  found,  and  it  was  suggested  by  the 
girls,  that  all  of  the  larger  ones  of  themselves  go,  under 
a  white  flag,  bearing  a  note  from  Miss  Seymour.  This 
young  lady,  however,  intuitively  understanding  that  a 
black  skin  would  be  a  more  respected  safegaurd  than  all 
the  white  flags  that  the  linen  of  the  college  could  furnish, 
prevailed  on  Jane  to  take  the  note.  Within  half  an  hour 
she  returned,  bringing  only  a  verbal  message. 

"Miss  Flo'nce,"  she  said,  fanning  herself  with  her 
slatted  bonnet  of  flowered  pink  calico,  "  dat  pizen  Yankee 
ain't  no  general ;  he's  a  Dutchman  !  An'  as  sassy  as  de 
balance  of  'em ;  snortin'  an'  cavortion'  roun'  like  a  fat 
steer,  in  a  chiny  shop  !  Dey's  'havin'  scand'lous ;  burnin' 
houses,  'sultin'  ladies  an'  robbin'  everything.  Dey  don't 
b'lieve  in  no  hereafter,  nor  nothin'.  De  day  o'  judg- 
ment is  done  come ;  an'  every  man  looks  like  he  thinks 


"a   'YANKEE   DUTCHMAN.''^  293 

he's  de  angel  Gabriel,  an'  is  blowin'  his  own  horn  !  I 
des  wish  Mars'  Henry  Fieldin',  Tandy  Lewis,  Wiley 
Webb,  Bill  McClellan,  John  McDonald,  John  Rawlins, 
Dave  Phillips,  Dave  Houston,  de  Fletcher  boys,  an'  'bout 
twenty  more,  would  slip  in  here  to-night !  Dar'd  be  one 
o'  de  old  stampedes  dat  you  reads  about  in  de  books ;  an' 
in  de  mawnin'  dar  wouldn't  be  no  gyardin'  palins  an' 
cross  fences  lef  standin'  in  town !  But  dat  pizen  Yankee 
Dutchman  says  ef  you's  a  Unioner,  dat  you  ain't  got  no 
bisness  down  here,  an'  you'd  better  git  up  an'  git !  An' 
dat  he's  gwine  to  put  a  gyard  roun'  de  town,  an'  you  needn't 
be  sheered,  'cause  dey'll  keep  off  de  rebels  !  Now  dat's 
what  I  calls  de  pink  o'  sassy  imperdence  !  An'  he  says, 
besides,  dat  he's  gwine  to  break  up  dis  nest  o'  suckin' 
doves  ! " 

No  doubt  the  gallant  general  felt  a  grim  pleasure  in 
sending  this  facetious  and  sarcastic  message.  And  yet,  no 
doubt,  he  was  prompted  by  a  sense  of  stern  duty  to  his 
government  and  to  the  troops  under  his  command ;  for 
what  safety  was  there  for  his  brigade  so  long  as  the  bright- 
eyed  naiads  of  the  Pierian  fount  were  there  to  attract  the 
merry  Rebel  raiders  ? 

On  the  next  morning  Dr.  Hansel  was  notified  that  the 
school  buildings  would  be  needed  for  hospital  and  other 
purposes;  and  that,  if  he  desired  it,  he  should  have 
a  military  escort  for  his  pupils  as  far  as  Huntsville  or 
Decatur.  As  for  himself  and  family,  he  was  offered 
transportation  by  way  of  Nashville  to  the  North,  which, 
it  was  intimated,  was  the  proper  place  for  them,  if  they 
really  sympathized  with  the  Northern  cause. 

It  was  not  without  deep  regret,  and  a  feeling  of  humilia- 
tion, that  Dr.  Hansel  turned  his  back  on  the  pleasant 
home  and  profitable  employment  that  had  been  his  in  the 


294  WARFARE  OR  BRIGANDAGE? 

sunny  South,  and  set  his  face  toward  the  uncertainties  of 
the  future,  amid  the  bleak  and  barren  hills  of  New  Eng- 
land. It  is  true  the  school  had  dwindled  to  a  mere  hand- 
ful of  pupils,  but  it  still  gave  him  a  liberal  support ;  and 
noAV,  Othello-like,  he  found  his  occupation  gone.  Unlike 
the  Sherman,  which  had  been  getting  his  bread  and  butter 
out  of  a  Louisiana  school,  the  "  Swamp  Angel,"  which 
wrote  W.  T.  before  its  name  to  distinguish  it  from  another 
^'  Angel "  of  the  same  mould,  but  of  smooth  bore  and  more 
^^  fussy  "  explosion ,  he  had  no  knowledge  of  brigandage 
as  a  coarse  art  to  barter  for  bread  and  gold ;  and  he  saw, 
amid  the  sharp  competition  in  his  own  land,  only  a  dreary 
prospect  of  almost  hopeless  struggle  before  him. 

Whatever  Miss  Seymour's  feelings  may  have  been,  she 
did  not  express  them  to  those  around  her.  The  Misses 
Anderson,  and  other  intimate  friends,  had  left  the  school 
soon  after  the  fall  of  Fort  Donelson,  and  there  were  now 
none  left  to  whom  she  cared  to  unburthen  her  sad  heart. 
When  she  left  she  threw  her  arms  around  Jane's  neck,  and 
upon  the  bosom  of  that  faithful  and  affectionate  creature 
she  breathed  a  few  convulsive  sobs,  and  left  in  her  hands 
a  letter  for  Marienne. 

It  was  with  tearful  eyes  that  Marienne  read  the  last 
words  of  the  poor,  heart-broken  girl.  She  made  no  direct 
mention  of  events  of  the  past  or  present,  or  of  hopes  or 
fears  for  the  future. 

"  I  wish,"  she  said,  "  to  utter  my  last  words  in  the 
beautiful  South  to  one  whose  pure  heart,  I  fully  believe, 
will  hold  me  in  loving  remembrance  always.  The  world, 
alas  !  I  find  is  full  of  wrong  and  wickedness.  How  dif- 
ferent from  the  world  I  thought  it  but  little  more  than 
one  short  year  ago !  Trials  have  thickened  around  me, 
and  hideous  Wrong  has  stalked  abroad,  until  my  poor 


"impious  agony  of  sorrow/'  295 

heart  has  cried  to  the  Father  of  all  Mercies  for  pity ; 
cried  aloud,  in  vain,  in  an  agony  of  grief,  until  Faith 
struggles  to  keep  the  black  clouds  of  skepticism  from 
closing  around  me,  and  shutting  His  face  forever  from  the 
despairing  gaze  of  my  soul  !  Can  it  be  that  civilization 
is  a  lie;  that  religion  is  a  pretense;  that  Christianity  is  a 
fraud;  and  that  they  have  been  known  to  be  such  all 
along,  and  that  I,  and  other  simple  ones  of  the  earth,  are 
only  credulous  dupes,  and  silly  'dreamers  of  dreams?' 
Father,  have  mercy  !  Marienne,  I  am  a  vile  sinner  !  I 
will  not  doubt  that  He  and  His  Son  have  all  things  in 
their  keeping.  Civilization  may  be  a  lie,  but  the  blessed 
Jesus  Christ  died  for  fallen  man.  ^Yas  not  He  beaten 
and  reviled,  and  put  to  death  by  base  human  creatures, 
who  have  undergone  no  change  since  that  day,  except 
such  as  a  belief  on  Him  and  obedience  to  His  precepts 
and  imitation  of  His  example  have  wrought?  Ah  !  if  my 
reckless  and  impious  agony  of  sorrow  should  cast  Him 
out  of  my  heart,  then  I  am  already  in  the  realms  of  ever- 
lasting darkness  and  despair ! " 


Pesolatioo. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Extending  Militaky  Operations. 

"  Lay  not  the  fixittering  unction  to  your  soul 
That  not  your  trespass,  but  my  madness  speaks  /  " — Shakspeaee. 

"  Oh  !  is  there  not 
A  time,  a  righteous  time,  reserved  in  fate  f" — Thomson. 

A  SHORT  time  after  Peter  Dillard's  last  appearance  in 
these  pages,  he  sought  another  interview  with  the  old 
mistress,  in  which  he  suggested  : 

"  I's  a  pretty  good  smiif,  marm,  an'  dey  says  when  de 
war  gits  in  full  blast  dat  cotton  won't  be  wufp  much,  an' 
you  has  to  have  money  to  buy  clo'es  an'  things  for  de 
young  mistisses  an'  de  fokes,  an'  Mr.  Xaff,  de  public 
smiff,  is  done  gone  to  de  war,  marchin'  by  de  side  o'  Lawyer 
Blanton  es  big  a  man  es  anybody,  an'  Mars'  Chyarles 
Styode  tole  me  befor'  he  left,  dat  I  mought  have  de  public 
shop — ^you  know  it's  on  de  cornder  of  his  land — rent  free, 
for  doin'  de  Widder  Sloan's  work,  an'  he  said  I  could  make 
a  heap  mo'  cash  money  dar  dan  at  de  plantation  shop ; 
an'  I  come  to  talk  wid  you  'bout  it,  marm." 

Mrs.  Dillard  having  decided  to  adopt  the  idea,  Peter 
removed  at  once  into  the  public  shop,  and  courted  an 
extended  patronage.  In  the  course  of  a  few  months  he 
had  heard  a  good  deal  of  political  talk  from  customers, 
who  brought  work  from  far  and  near,  as  all,  or  nearly  all, 
of  the  white  smiths  were  now  gone  to  the  war ;  and  he 
finally  went  to  the  old  mistress  to  unravel  the  tangled 
296 


/'a  chemical  simile."  297 

web  of  ideas  that  had  been  slowly  accumulating  in  his 
brain. 

"What  is  all  dis  fussin'  an'  warin'  about,  anyhow, 
mistis  ? "  he  asked,  as  he  deposited  his  shot-bag,  with 
the  week's  earnings,  on  a  table.  "  Dey  tells  me  it's  to 
free  de  niggers,  an'  I  has  heard  dat  tale  from  fokes,  an' 
dem  dat  ain't  fokes  ;  an'  I  wants  to  know  de  straight  o'  it, 
ef  you  please,  marm." 

"  They  say  their  desire  is  only  to  keep  us  in  the  Union, 
but  we  have  known  the  party  in  power  long  enough  to  be 
aware  that  they  use  language  only  to  conceal  their  designs, 
and  betray  those  who  confide  in  their  honor.  They  hate 
us  and  will  gladly  free  the  negroes,  or  destroy  our  homes, 
or  do  any  possible  act  of  outrage  w^iich,  as  they  tliink, 
will  tend  to  humble  the  proud  spirit  of  oui'  people." 

"  Ain't  dey  Christian  fokes  up  in  dat  country  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes ;  there  are  some  very  sincere  and  true  Chris- 
tians up  there.  Only  a  very  small  minority  of  the  people 
are  Plymouth  Rock  Puritans." 

"  And  dem  watumacallum  Rock  Puritins  ain't  Chris- 
tians ?  " 

"  Yes ;  they  profess  to  be." 

"  Den  how  'bout  dem  hatin'  our  fokes  an'  wantin'  to 
'stroy  de  country  ?  I  thought  Christianity  was  de  same 
all  over  de  worl' !  " 

"  So  it  is.  But  this  is  like  an  idea  I  have  seen  expressed 
somewhat  after  this  fashion  :  Mercury,  or  quick-silver,  is 
the  same  all  over  the  world ;  but  the  dichlorid  of  mercury 
is  not  the  same  as  the  protochlorid  of  mercury.  The  first 
cleanses,  and  the  other  poisons.  So  Christianity  is  the 
same  all  over  the  world  ;  but  the  dicavaliend  of  Chris- 
tianity is  not  the  same  as  the  ^Yoio-puntanid  of  Christian- 
ity.   The  first  soothes  and  civilizes,  and  the  other  does  not." 


298  EXTENDING   MILITARY   OPERATIONS. 

"  You  talks  a  heap  o'  high-larnt  words,  mistis,  but  I 
ketchus  on  to  your  meaniu\  It's  like  dis  :  Shortnin' 
bread  is  de  same  all  over  de  worP,  but  de  ashcake  dat  is 
shortened  wid  butter  an'  lard  ain't  like  de  ashcake  dat  is 
shortened  wid  dat  croton  oil.  De  fust  makes  a  man 
healthy  and  strong,  an'  t'other  kicks  up  a  big  rumpus 
inside  of  'im.  But  how  is  it  dat  dem  fokes  claim  to  be 
'pinted  by  de  Lord  to  do  His  holy  work  ?  " 

"  They  have  always  sought  to  make  a  cat's-paw  of  relig- 
ion to  accomplish  their  selfish  ends.  When  they  imported 
slaves  from  Africa,  they  did  it  to  civilize  the  savage; 
when  they  made  slaves  of  Indians,  it  was  to  Christianize 
the  heathen ;  when  they  burned,  or  murdered  by  other 
torture,  ministers  of  the  gospel  and  members  of  a  different 
religious  denomination,  it  was  to  rid  the  earth  of  heresy 
and  witchcraft ;  when  they  found  their  land  too  cold  and 
barren  to  make  slave  labor  profitable,  and  sold  their  slaves 
to  the  South,  it  was  to  atone  for  the  sins  of  their  ancestors ; 
and  when  they  determined  to  gratify  their  evil  passion  of 
animosity  toward  us — begotten  by  our  open  ridicule  of 
their  sanctimonious  subterfuges — they  forced  us  out  of  the 
Union  that  they  might  murder  our  people,  and  destroy 
our  homes — all  for  the  love  of  the  Lord  and  to  prepare  the 
way  for  the  second  coming  of  the  Messiah  ! " 

^'  Mistis, "  exclaimed  the  negro,  impressively,  "  dems  de 
spirits  dat  took  me  down  in  de  creek  bottom,  an'  tol'  me 
to  fall  down  an'  worshup  'em,  an'  I  done  it  like  a  fool  ! 
But  Peter  has  got  his  eyes  open  now  !  Thank'ee,  mistis  ; 
Sarvent,  marm."  And  with  a  respectful  bow,  the  negro 
went  to  his  cabin  with  the  most  serious  tangles  in  his 
brain  straightened  out  as  he  believed. 

A  few  days  after  the  entry  of  the  gallant  Turchin  and 
his  equally  gallant  brigade  into  Barrensville,  five  soldiers, 


"  BUSHELS   OF   BURIED   TREASURE."  299 

on  horses  evidently  "  borrowed  "  from  the  farmers  around, 
rode  up  to  the  door  of  Peter's  shop,  where  it  happened 
that  the  black  Vulcan  was  alone  on  that  day,  and  patiently 
hammering  away  on  a  plow  point. 

"  I  say,  mister,"  exclaimed  one  of  the  party  who  wore 
a  sword,  "  can  you  direct  us  to  the  Stewart  plantation  ?  " 

"  What  you  want  dar  ?  "  questioned  Peter,  i^esting  his 
hammer  on  the  anvil  and  scrutinizing  closely  the  entire 
party. 

"  Oh ;  nothing  in  particular.  We  heard  there  was  a 
pretty  girl  there  and  that  they  live  high." 

"  Well,  s^posin^  'twas  so  ;  what  of  it  ?  " 

"  Ha  !  Not  much ;  but  w^e  like  to  see  fine  folks  and 
fine  doings.  They  tell  me  the  girl  wears  diamonds.  Is 
that  so  ?  " 

"  I  dunno  what  diamunts  is,  but  ef  it's  home-spun 
linsey,  it's  true  es  preachin'." 

"  They  are  mighty  rich,  aren't  they  ?  " 

'^  Dey's  got  'nuif  bread  an'  meat  an'  home-spun  clo's,  ef 
you  calls  dat  richness." 

"  Gold  and  jewels  all  buried,  perhaps  ?  " 

"  Yes,  dey's  buried  all  dey  had.  I  seen  'em  buryin' 
bushels  an'  bushels  ! " 

"  Holy  Brown  !  I  say,  show  us  the  place  and  we'll  go 
snacks  with  you  ! " 

'^  De  place  is  all  over  de  fields.  'Twas  corn  an' 
cotton  seeds  I  seen  'em  plantin' ;  an'  dem  dat  say  dey  has 
got  any  other  sort  o'  gold  an'  jewels  tells  a  lie." 

"  But  the  girl's  eyes  are  jewels  ;  we  want  to  see  them. 
Please  direct  us  how  to  find  the  place." 

"  You  see  dat  road  ?  "  asked  Peter,  going  to  the  door 
and  pointing  up  the  road  leading  to  Barrensville. 

"  Yes ;  we  came  down  that  road." 


300  EXTENDING   MILITARY   OPERATIONS. 

"  Well,  dat's  de  road.  Go  straight  ahead  'till  you  comes 
to  a  mill  five  miles  from  here.  Dar  you  take  the  lef  han' 
road,  an'  five  miles  mo'  '11  bring  you  to  Barrens\dlle,  an' 
when  you  gits  dar  you'd  better  put  up  your  bosses  an'  go 
to  tendin'  to  your  business,  ef  you  has  any  sort  o'  business 
dar ;  specially  ef  it's  a  healthy  sort  o'  business." 

"  Oh  !  you're  a  d — d  secesh,  Reb. ! "  exclaimed  the 
officer,  wheeling  his  horse  and  riding  off  in  the  direction 
indicated  by  the  negro,  with  the  squad  following  in  the  rear. 

"  Dem  Linkum  Abolitioners  is  arter  some  sort  o'  devil- 
ment, an'  I's  gwine  to  notify  Fox,  ef  he  has  got  home,  dis 
mawnin' ! "  exclaimed  Peter,  talking  to  himself,  as  he 
hastily  threw  off  his  leather  apron,  put  on  his  coat  and 
seized  and  tried  the  "  heft "  of  a  four-pound  hammer. 

After  crossing  the  cleared  space  around  the  shop,  he 
struck  out  on  a  brisk  trot,  which  he  kept  up  till  he  had 
passed  through  the  forest  and  come  in  sight  of  "  The  Oaks." 
Then,  seeing  no  soldiers  on  the  only  road  which  they 
could  have  reached  by  that  time,  but  only  Uncle  George, 
with  his  squad  of  plowmen  and  mules,  quietly  pursuing 
their  peaceful  labors  in  a  distant  field,  he  slackened  his 
pace  to  a  quick  walk. 

Arriving  at  ^^  The  Oaks,"  he  found  Fox  not  yet  returned, 
but  hourly  expected,  and  Mr.  Deaderick  sitting  on  the 
front  porch  in  a  an  earnest  conversation  with  Marienne. 
Calling  the  gentleman  out,  he  narrated  what  had  passed 
at  the  shop  ;  expressed  the  opinion  that  the  soldiers  would 
be  directed  to  the  place  by  some  one,  and  advised  that 
Marienne  be  induced  to  go  over  to  his  old  mistresses,  or  to 
some  place  where  there  were  several  ladies  together. 
While  he  was  speaking,  Mr.  Deaderick  exclaimed  : 

^^  There  they  are  now,  I  imagine  ;  approaching  on  the 
north  road!" 


"his  loyalty  doubted."  301 

"  Dem's  de  men  ! "  exclaimed  Peter,  turning  to  look  in 
the  direction  indicated.  ^'  Five  men,  an'  one  on  a  white 
hoss  wid  a  sode.  Dey  ain't  los'  much  time  !  I  don't  like 
to  mix  up  wid  white  fokses  bisness,  an'  I's  gwine  roun'  to 
mammy's  cabin,  but  ef  anything  happens  an'  you  wants 
me  an'  my  hammer,  all  you's  got  to  do  is  to  fetch  one 
holler." 

As  Peter  went  around  to  the  quarters,  Mr.  Deaderick 
walked  quickly  into  the  house  and  advised  Marienne  to 
retire  to  her  room  and  lock  the  door ;  assuring  her,  how- 
ever, that  there  was  no  cause  for  alarm,  but  that  the  men 
would  doubtless  pillage  the  house.  Marienne  did  as 
advised,  taking  the  precaution  first  to  go  into  the  parlor  for 
a  small  silver-mounted  Mexican  dagger  which  Fox  had 
made  her  a  present  of. 

As  the  men  approached  the  front  porch  the  officer 
exclaimed,  with  a  stare  at  Mr.  Deaderick,  who  had  placed 
himself  at  the  head  of  the  steps : 

"  Hello,  Johnny  Reb,  is  your  name  Fox  ?  " 

"My  name  is  Deaderick,"  said  the  gentleman,  pleas- 
antly, "  and  I  am  a  countryman  of  yours.  I  belong  to 
New  England." 

"  Ho  !  ho  !  What  a  festive  lot  of  you  belong  to  New 
England  !  There  was  that  anatomical  museum's  ticket-of- 
leave  specimen  at  the  school  in  Barrensville,  and  now  here 
is  this  pretty  gentleman !     Are  you  scared,  Johnny  Reb  ?  " 

"  I  tell  you  I  am  no  rebel,  sir.  I  came  from  New 
Orleans  a  few  days  ago,  and  am  only  waiting  for  com- 
pany to  go  to  my  old  home  in  New  England  ?  " 

"  Maybe  some  of  them  niggers  have  an  old  home  in 
New  England." 

"  Some  of  their  ancestors  had,  I've  no  doubt,"  replied 
the  young  man,  mth  a  pleasant  smile. 


302  EXTENDING   IMILITAEY   OPERATIONS. 

"  Ha !  lia  !  boys,  we've  run  up  with  a  sassy  Johnny 
Reb,  wlio  was  born  in  New  England ;  him  and  his 
ancestors.  Suppose  we  take  him  to  the  pump  and  rebap- 
tize  him  before  he  can  backslide?" 

"Suppose  I  slap  your  impudent  face,  sir,"  exclaimed 
the  young  man,  showing  the  first  symptom  of  anger. 

"Listen  at  him,  boys,"  exclaimed  the  officer,  jeeringly. 
"  Isn't  he  sassy  for  true  ?  He's  depending  on  them  nig- 
gers we  saw  across  the  field  to  back  him ;  but  they're  a 
mile  away,  and  I  could  scare  the  whole  lot  to  death  with 
one  flash  of  a  pistol.  Two  of  you  take  charge  of  this 
fellow  while  we  search  for  arms  and  ammunition.  If  he 
attempts  to  shout  or  make  a  signal  pin  him  to  the  door- 
post with  a  bayonet  through  his  sassy  jaw." 

Mr.  Deaderick,  seeing  the  temper  and  spirit  of  the  men, 
prudently  remained  silent.  But  he  did  not  intend  to  be 
guarded  as  a  quiet  and  submissive  prisoner,  and  when  the 
men  placed  themselves  on  either  side  of  him,  he  took  an 
arm  of  each,  and  followed  the  officer  into  the  house. 
After  examining  the  first  room,  which  chanced  to  be  the 
dining  room,  and  pocketing  the  few  battered  silver  spoons 
that  had  not  been  buried  with  the  other  ware,  the  officer 
ordered  the  two  guards  to  put  the  "conscript  dodger"  in 
that  room,  as  he  did  not  intend  to  be  dogged  over  the 
house  by  him. 

"  Before  you  proceed  farther,  sir,"  said  the  young  man, 
a  little  angrily,  "let  me  assure  you  that  I  am  a  friend  to 
the  Union.,  and  that  I  shall  follow  you  over  the  house 
unless  I  am  prevented  by  force." 

"Oh!"  replied  the  officer,  jeeringly,  "we  know  you 
belong  to  the  Union  !  Don't  we,  boys  ?  And  we  belong 
to  the  horse  marines ;  and  you  can  feed  us  on  taffy 
instead  of  corn  and  beans." 


"SEAECHIXG   FOR  ^AEMS/"  303 

"I  desire  to  have  no  more  impudence  from  you,  sir," 
said  the  young  i6an,  quite  angrily ;  ^'  but  if  you  dare  to 
offer  any  indignity  to  any  in  this  house,  I  shall  see  that 
you  are  properly  punished  for  it." 

"  Punished !  Ha !  ha !  We  are  the  punishers,  you 
impudent  rebel.     Seize  him,  boys  !  " 

In  a  moment  the  young  man  was  overpowered  by  the 
four  privates,  and  was  locked  in  the  room,  with  two  of 
the  men  as  guards.  The  situation  was  now  extremely 
embarrassing,  and  he  did  not  know  what  course  to  pursue 
next,  but  he  determined,  if  Marienne  cried  for  help,  to  go 
to  her  or  throw  away  his  life  in  the  attempt.  In  her 
supposed  peril  he  felt  his  heart  going  out  to  her  with  an 
enthusiasm  that  told  of  a  nobler  passion  than  a  thirst  for 
gold. 

He  heard  tramping  overhead — heard  the  breaking  open 
of  doors,  bureaus  and  wardrobes.  Presently  there  was  a 
violent  shuffling  of  feet,  succeeded  by  a  masculine  yell, 
and  the  words,  "  The  little  devil  has  stabbed  me  ! "  Then 
a  succession  of  piercing  screams  from  Marienne,  mingled 
with  the  noise  of  a  violent  scuffle. 

With  the  quickness  of  thought  the  young  man  dealt  one 
of  his  guards  a  blow  in  the  face  that  brought  him  to  the 
floor  as  limp  as  an  ox  under  the  butcher^s  axe,  and,  as  the 
other  seized  him,  he  grasped  him  by  the  throat  in  a  des- 
perate struggle  for  mastery.  In  a  moment  the  door  was 
burst  inward  as  if  by  an  avalanche,  and  the  struggling 
soldier  was  hurled  to  the  floor  by  a  blow  from  Peter 
Dillard's  ponderous  fist. 

"  Follow  me ! "  said  Mr.  Deaderick,  not  in  words,  but 
by  a  quick  gesture,  as  he  sprang  across  the  hall,  and  leaped 
up  the  staircase  at  three  or  four  bounds.  Running  at 
full  speed  half  the  length  of  the  hall,  he  threw  the  full 

19 


304  EXTENDING  MILITARY   OPERATIONS. 

weight  and  momentum  of  his  body  against  the  closed  door 
of  Marienne's  room,  carrying  it  before  him,  but  instantly 
falling  under  a  sabre  stroke,  which  cut  half  through,  and 
broke  his  arm,  and  laid  bare  his  skull  above  the  left  ear. 
His  body  had  not  time  to  touch  the  floor,  however,  before, 
with  the  agility  of  an  enraged  tiger,  the  herculean  form 
of  Peter  Dillard  sprang  over  him.  A  pistol  shot  flashed 
in  the  sable  giant's  face ;  one,  tw^o  blows  from  his 
stalwart  arms,  like  two  simultaneous  bolts  from  the  same 
discharge  of  electricity ;  two  men  fell  to  the  floor,  and 
Peter  turned  to  find  the  third  lying  across  Mr.  Deaderick, 
struggling  in  death  with  the  bullet  in  his  brain  that  was 
intended  for  himself. 

Seizing  Marienne,  who  was  lying  on  the  bed  in  a  swoon, 
he  sprang  over  the  two  unconscious  forms  before  the  door, 
and,  as  he  bounded  down  the  staircase,  he  shouted  for 
help.     And  help  was  there. 

As  soon  as  Peter  told  mammy  of  his  fears,  she  sent  the 
entire  phalanx  of  ebony  imps,  in  their  abbreviated  togas, 
for  Uncle  George  and  his  stalwarts;  and,  as  they  sped 
across  the  field  of  cotton  beds,  anxious  to  "do  the  state 
some  service,"  and  "  big  with  the  tidings  of  war,"  the 
violent  fluttering  of  the  rear  flaps  of  their  airy  garments, 
like  a  score  of  stampeded  flags  of  truce,  told  that  the 
juvenile  couriers  were  terribly  in  earnest  in  their  efforts 
to  annihilate  time  and  space. 

Peter's  first  shout  was  answered  from  both  the  front 
and  back  doors,  and  a  swarm  of  dusky  figures,  with 
glaring  eyes  and  distended  nostrils,  rushed  into  the 
hall. 

"  Clear  de  way  ! "  shouted  the  stalwart  man  in  a  phrensy 
of  excitement  and  rag;e.  "  Let  me  take  dis  chile  to  de 
ole  mammy  !     Uncle  George,  ^tend  to  Mr.  Deaderick — 


"hungeeing  for  vengeance/'  305 

dey  has  done  kilt  'im !  You  men  see  dat  dem  in  'tother 
room  don't  git  away  !  Drag  down  dem  up  stairs,  an'  tie 
'em  all  together  !  I'll  kill  any  nigger  dat  lets  one  git 
away  !  Great  God  !  ef  I  hadn't  dropped  my  hammer  de 
floors  would  be  greasy  wid  brains  !  But  bless  His  holy 
name,  it  ain't  too  late  yit !  Ef  dey  has — has  hurt  dis 
chile  I'll  grease  de  gin  saws  wid  dar  haslets.  Come  on  ! 
Come  on  !     Fools,  don't  you " 

But  mammy,  who  had  just  entered  the  hall,  seeing  that 
Peter  was  fast  losing  control  of  himself,  put  her  hand 
over  his  mouth,  and  calling  his  attention  to  Marienne, 
pushed  him  along  to  the  room  formerly  occupied  by  Miss 
Seymour.  As  soon  as  they  had  entered  she  locked  the 
door  and  put  the  key  into  her  pocket.  Peter  waited  until 
restoratives  were  applied,  and  he  saw  Marienne  show 
signs  of  returning  animation  :     Then  he  said : 

^^  I  onderstans  dat  key  bisness,  ole  'oman  ;  but  let  me 
out  o'  here  an'  I  promises  not  to  do  nothin',  'cept  Uncle 
George  says  so." 

"  Gyawge,  indeed  ! "  responded  the  old  woman.  "  Ef 
Gyawge  gits  de  ole  nigger  up  in  him,  he's  es  big  a  fool  es 
you  is." 

"  Well,  let  me  out,"  said  Peter,  with  some  impatience, 
"  an'  I  won't  do  nothin,'  cept  you  says  so." 

"  Me  !  Peter,  you's  a  fool !  Go  an'  sen'  dem  fokes 
'way  from  here  !  I's  a  bigger  fool  when  my  dander's  up 
dan  you  an  Gyawge  bofe  together  !" 

At  this  moment  a  shout  reached  the  room  in  the  voice 
of  one  of  the  young  men  : 

"  Bring  out  de  hell-hounds !  Let's  burn  'em  in  de 
fodder  stack !" 

"  Dar !  vou  hear  dat  ?"  exclaimed  Peter.  "  De  ole  nio:p;er 
is  done  ris  in  dem  boys  !     Let  me  out  of  here  !     I  don't 


306  EXTENDING   MILITARY  OPEEATIONS. 

mind  beaten  out  dar  brains,  or  cuttin'  out  dar  haslets,  but 
dey  shan't  be  burnt  like  we  was  wild  Injuns  !" 

Peter  found  the  four  men  tied  together  in  the  dining- 
room,  as  he  had  ordered.  Mr.  Deaderick  had  recovered 
half-consciousness,  and  was  lying  on  the  bed  from  which 
Marienne  had  been  taken,  with  one  of  the  men  and  several 
women  looking  after  his  welfare.  The  doctor  had  been 
sent  for  by  the  swift-footed  couriers  with  the  snowy  ban- 
ners, and  men  and  women  were  stirring  around  in  a 
state  of  the  most  intense  excitement.  Not  one  of  them 
knew  anything  but  that  Marienne  had  been  carried,  appar- 
ently lifeless,  from  the  room  and  that  Mr.  Deaderick  was 
very  severely  wounded.  But  they  whispered  surmises, 
one  to  another,  until  surmises  became  certainties,  and  cer- 
tainties grew  into  an  enormity  of  crimes  that  made  them 
hunger  for  vengeance. 

He  w^as  met  by  cries  of :  "  We's  gwine  to  burn  'em 
up  ! "  "  We's  gwine  to  bury  'em  alive  ! "  ^^  We's  gwine 
to  roast  'em  in  de  fodder  stack  !"  etc.,  etc. 

"  Hold  on,  boys ! "  said  Peter,  pouring  oil  on  the  troubled 
waters.  "  Wait  till  we  hears  from  Aunt  Prudence.  Ef 
de  ole  mammy  says  de  word  I  speck  de  bes'  thing'll  be  to 
sink  'em  in  de  Salem  Hole.     Buried  bones  tells  no  tales !" 

In  the  midst  of  the  excitement  Fox  arrived,  riding  at 
full  speed.  Peter  met  him  at  the  gate,  and  after  a  private 
talk,  during  which  the  negro  gesticulated  violently,  he 
went  into  the  room  where  mammy  was  ministering  to 
Marienne.  After  beins:  absent  a  few  minutes  he  returned, 
•and  said  to  the  angry  crowd  : 

"  Boys,  we  will  let  these  men  go.  We  don't  want  to 
have  our  houses  burnt  and  ourselves  hounded  and  shot 
down  like  wild  beasts.  Untie  them  all,  and  one  of  you 
get  the  Jersey  wagon  to  take  this  dead  officer  along." 


"waiting  in  suspense.^'  307 

The  four  men  were  not  seriously  hurt.  A  broken  nose 
or  two,  and  a  lot  of  black  and  swollen  eyes  being  their 
chief  injuries.  Their  arms  were  returned  to  them,  and 
they  rode  soberly  away,  followed  by  the  vehicle  carrying 
their  dead  officer,  who  had  an  ugly  dagger  wound  in  his 
neck,  in  addition  to  the  bullet  in  his  brain. 

After  the  men  had  left,  and  Fox  had  had  time  to  think 
deliberately  over  the  occurrence,  he  mounted  his  horse  again 
and  set  out  for  Barrensville,  with  the  determination  to  see 
the  commandant  in  person,  lest  the  men  should  falsify 
facts. 

The  doctor  responded  promptly  to  the  call  for  his  sur- 
gical skill,  and  after  dressing  Mr.  Deaderick\s  wounds, 
and  leaving  a  sedative  potion  for  Marienne,  he  took 
mammy  aside  and  said  : 

"  Aunt  Prudence,  if  those  people  come  here  again,  try 
to  get  the  folks  not  to  resist  anything  they  may  undertake 
to  do,  unless  it  be  murder,  or  a  worse  crime.  God  help 
us  !  We  must  try  to  make  a  virtue  of  necessity,  and  yield 
where  resistance  can  only  be  productive  of  increased 
wrongs  and  outrages.'^ 

Fox  was  expected  back  in  the  early  afternoon,  as  he  w^as 
always  a  rapid  rider ;  but  the  sun  declined  till  the  shadows 
of  the  oaks  grew  long  toward  the  east,  and  finally  reached 
across  the  plantation  and  were  lost  in  early  twilight,  and 
yet  he  had  not  returned.  Twilight  grew  into  darkness, 
and  darkness  had  shown  Ursa  Minor ,  gradually  rearing 
until  he  stood  rampant,  and  still  Fox  had  not  returned, 
nor  had  the  wagon  and  driver. 

"  Honey,''  said  mammy,  having  tucked  Marienne 
snugly  in  a  bed  in  her  cabin,  prepared  especially  for  her, 
"  you  must  go  to  sleep.  Fox  is  all  right,  an'  will  be  here 
early  in  de  mornin,'  an'  you  mus'  sleep  now." 


308  EXTENDIJfG   MILITARY   OPERATIONS. 

The  poor,  nervous,  half-crazed  girl,  worn  out  by  excite- 
ment and  the  long  strain  of  terrible  apprehension,  finally 
surrendered  to  "  nature's  sweet  restorer,'^  and  her  features 
lost  their  rigidity  as  her  .thoughts,  escaping  from  the  hor- 
rors of  the  present,  wandered  out  into  fancy's  wide 
domain.  It  was  thought  best  by  Peter  that  all  should  be 
near  together,  and  in  an  adjacent  cabin  to  mammy's  he 
watched  over  the  delirious  dreams  of  jVIr.  Deaderick. 

The  half-grown  moon  had  sunk  behind  the  darkened 
West,  and  Ursa  Minor  had  turned  upon  his  back,  as  if 
supplicating  mercy  from  his  bigger  brother,  when,  hark  ! 
What  sounds  and  sights  startle  the  late  watchers  ? 

A  hundred  trampling  horses ;  a  hundred  liveried  men ; 
a  hundred  flashing  sabres  ;  but  only  one  voice  ! 

"  Death  to  all  who  resist !  Deliver  up  Marienne 
D'Elfons,  Fred  Deaderick,  and  Peter  Dillard.  Then 
clear  your  houses  and  get  out  of  the  way  ! " 

What  ordinary  persons  with  black  skins  would,  under 
the  circumstances,  think  of  resistance,  remonstrance,  or 
anything  but  '^  sauve  qui  pent  f  " 

Soon  the  Jersey  wagon  that  carried  the  corpse  to  Bar- 
rensville,  is  loaded  with  a  male  and  a  female  form,  appar- 
ently as  inanimate  as  was  the  corpse,  and  Peter  Dillard, 
heavily  manacled,  is  tied  to  the  rear  of  the  wagon.  What 
if  he  felled  a  dozen  men  before  he  was  knocked  down 
and  bound  ?     So  much  the  worse  for  him  ! 

Again,  as  at  Barrensville,  columns  of  black  smoke 
ascend  into  the  vault  of  heaven  !  No  outcry  is  made — 
no  effort  put  forth  !  Roofs  and  walls,  great  and  small, 
tumble  in,  and  the  crash  of  the  grand  mansion  sends 
myriads  of  sparks  to  dance  among  the  stars.  Men  and 
women  gaze  in  silent  awe,  while  those  who,  as  cour- 
iers in  the  morning,  fluttered  the  white  flags  of  innocence, 


^'FRIENDS  AHE  SCATTERED/''  309 

roll  upon  the  ground  in  agony,  with  their  banners  drawn 
over  their  eyes  to  shut  out  the  terrible  sights. 

This  chapter  should  end  here,  but  we  will  add  a  few 
paragraphs,  and  thus  avoid  the  necessity  of  writing  sev- 
eral chapters  of  distressful  adventure,  in  order  to  connect 
the  threads  of  our  narrative. 

Weeks,  months,  years  passed,  and  it  was  not  known 
positively  to  the  sufferers  at  '^  The  Oaks,"  who  were  destined 
yet  to  suffer  greatly,  what  had  been  the  fate  of  the  three 
persons  taken  from  them  on  that  terrible  night.  Authen- 
tic news  soon  came  that  Fox  had  been  killed,  on  the  next 
day,  in  an  effort  to  protect  Marienne,  whose  screams  had 
reached  him  in  the  room  where  he  was  under  guard,  as 
she  was  being  "  searched  for  concealed  weapons."  The 
minor  was  that  he  had  knocked  down  the  guard  at  the 
door  of  the  room,  seized  his  gun  and  run  the  bayonet 
through  another  soldier,  and  was  instantly  pinned  to  the 
cross  paneling  of  the  door  by  half  a  dozen  bayonets 
through  his  body.  "  Crucified  !"  as  the  negroes  at  ^^  The 
Oaks  "  expressed  it. 

Uncle  George  had  rude  and  hastily-constructed  huts 
put  to  the  chimneys  left  standing,  and  in  time,  by  the 
help  of  friends  and  neighbors,  the  negroes  w^ere  comfort- 
ably fixed  again.  It  became  rumored  that  Peter  Dillard 
had  been  sent  to  a  Northern  prison,  under  the  charge  of 
murder ;  and  that  ISlr.  Deaderick,  who,  at  the  time  ^hat 
Fox  was  killed,  also  attempted  to  go  to  the  aid  of 
Marienne,  and  was  knocked  senseless  and  shamefully 
abused,  had  become  a  raving  maniac,  and  had,  after  sev- 
eral months'  confinement,  made  his  escape  to  the  forest  and 
died  of  starvation.  It  was  said  that  his  body  was  de- 
voured by  beasts  and  birds,  but  that  his  restless  spirit  was 
often  seen  flitting  through  the  woods,  and  his  maniacal 


310  EXTENDING  MILITARY  OPERATIOXS. 

laugh  Avas  heard  Avhenever  a  Federal  soldier  died  a  vio- 
lent death.  Many  believed  that  it  was  his  spirit  which 
afterward  became  a  terror  to  marauders  as  the  "  Phantom 
Bushwacker/'  which,  or  who,  so  often  appeared  sud- 
denly, and  when  least  expected,  to  the  startled  gaze  of  the 
merry  spoilsmen,  and  after  firing  the  contents  of  a  repeat- 
ing carbine,  with  deadly  effect  and  demoralizing  conse- 
quences, would  disappear,  into  the  ground  it  was  believed ; 
but  no  one  had  ever  tarried  long  enough  to  speak  posi- 
tively on  that  point.  A  few  weeks  after  the  surrender  at 
Appomattox,  a  returning  Confederate  soldier  called  at  the 
one  solitary  hut  then  left  standing  at  "  The  Oaks,^'  to  seek 
bread  and  a  night's  rest,  and  informed  Uncle  George  and 
the  partner  of  his  sorrows  that  after  the  evacuation  of 
Eichmond  a  half-crazy,  fine-looking  man,  with  a  terrible 
scar  on  the  left  side  of  his  head,  had  asked  permission  to 
join  his  company  of  cavalry.  When  his  name  and  ante- 
cedents were  demanded,  he  replied  that  he  had  no  name, 
and  was  not  a  native  of  any  particular  state  or  section ; 
but  that  he  could  use  a  sabre,  and  that  his  repeating  car- 
bine had  killed  in  cold  blood  thirty-nine  Federal  soldiers 
— thirteen  each  for  himself  and  two  friends.  When 
informed  that  he  must  give  a  name,  he  replied  :  "  Can 
you  give  a  name  and  a  local  habitation  to  a  cosmopolitan 
ghoul  ?  If  so,  call  me  Dead  Frederick  of  Alabama  ! " 
He  fought  with  reckless  desperation  during  those  last 
heart-crushing  days,  and  yet  there  w^as  method  in  his  mad- 
ness, for  though  he  was  conspicuous  amid  thousands  who 
courted  death,  which  seemed  to  have  become  suddenly 
coy  and  prudish,  he  did  not  needlessly  expose  himself.  A 
spent  fragment  of  a  shell  from  one  of  the  last  guns  fired 
at  Appomattox  struck  him  on  the  old  wound  on  his  head, 
and  it  having  been  found  that  he  had  become  an  irrespon- 


"A  MILITARY  BARBER/'  311 

sible  maniac,  he  was  sent   to  Lynchburg,  and  thence  to 
the  Lunatic  Asylum  at  Staunton. 

Peter  Dillard  also  was  heard  from  through  a  disabled 
soldier  of  Morgan's  command,  who  returned  home  before 
the  close  of  the  war.  History  has  told  how  the  gallant  Gen- 
eral John  Morgan,  who,  as  an  invader,  with  less  than  two 
thousand  troops,  defeated,  in  the  course  of  nineteen  days, 
more  than  twenty  thousand  troops,  and  paroled  nearly  six 
thousand  prisoners ;  and  how,  after  traversing  two  pow- 
erful states,  and  cutting  an  entire  network  of  railroads, 
and  frightening  millions  of  good  people  out  of  their  sober 
senses,  he  was  made  a  prisoner,  and  sent  with  a  number 
of  his  officers  to — the  felon/s  pyison  at  Columbus,  Ohio, 
w^here  he  was  sheared  by  a  convict  as  a  "  bloody  invader  " 
and  "worse  than  a  felon,"  though  his  men  had  never 
insulted  a  woman  nor  needlessly  destroyed  one  dollar's 
worth  of  private  property.  But  history  errs  slightly 
respecting  the  "  hair  trimmer."  He  was  an  ex-convict, 
but  was,  at  the  time,  a  United  States  soldier,  and  one  of 
the  special  detail  to  guard  "  the  most  dangerous  man  that 
ever  trod  Ohio  soil." 

While  the  head  shaving  was  going  on  General  Morgan 
remarked  : 

"  My  good  man,  you  were  not  reared  in  this  miserable 
country ;  you  look  too  sleek  and  glossy.  You  were  born 
where  the  sun  shines,  and  where  the  blasts  of  winter  do 
not  chill  the  marrow  in  one's  bones." 

"  Yes,  massa,"  replied  the  negro,  with  a  confused  grin, 
"  I  was  borned  in  Alabamer,  an'  my  ole  mistis,  an'  my  ole 
mammy,  an'  my  wife  an'  chil'en  lives  dar  now ;  God 
bless  ''em  ! " 

"  Ah  !    What  is  your  name  ?  " 

"  Sar  ?    Name  ?    Yes,  sar !    But  I's  not  gwine  to  skin 


312  EXTENDING   MILITARY   OPERATIONS. 

your  head  like  dey  told  me  to.     It's  oncivilized  to  treat  a 
gent'man  dat  way.'' 

"Oh,  yes,"  replied  General  Morgan,  with  a  laugh, 
"  you  must  obey  orders.  I  shall  not  complain  if  I  have 
my  scalp  left  entire.  And  if  it  should  chance  that  my 
strength  lies  in  my  hair,  like  that  of  Samson  of  old,  as 
these  people  seem  to  imagine,  this  discharge  of  your  duty 
will  do  your  cause  more  real  service  than  has  ever  been 
done  by  the  military  exploits  of  some  divisions  of  your 
troops.     But  you  forgot  to  give  me  your  name." 

"  Name  ?  Yes,  sar  !  Well,  sar,  it's — it's  Peter  Dillard." 

Poor  Peter !  He  had  proven  the  truth  of  his  axiom 
that  the  negroes'  minds  are  like  "  de  water  in  de  river ! " 

Nothing  definite  was  heard  from  Marienne.  Vague 
rumor  said  she  had  been  hanged  for  the  murder  of  the 
officer ;  but  a  rumor  still  more  vague  stated  that  her  fate 
had  been  worse  than  that  of  death  on  the  gallows.  It 
was  said  by  some,  however,  that,  after  the  death  of  Fox, 
a  subordinate  officer  became  the  champion  of  the  poor 
girl,  and  protected  her  from  further  indignities  during  her 
imprisonment  at  Barrensville. 


War-swept  Fields. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Gettysburg. 

^^  Look  from  the  turbid  South 
What  floods  of  flame  in  red  diffus^ion  hurst, 
Frequent  and  furious  !  " — Mallet's  Mustapha. 

"  I  have  smote  in  vain 
The  waves  that  compass  me  about,  and  gain 
Upon  me  in  the  darkness" 

— E,  S.  Gregory's  De  Profundis. 

"  pASS  UNDER  THE  FLAG  ! " 

J-  This  command  was  given,  and  repeated  every 

few  moments,  to  the  troops  of  a  passing  army,  by  one  of 
a  bevy  of  sprightly  and  handsome  girls,  who  had  come 
out  from  a  large  building,  which,  in  Chambersburg,  Penn- 
sylvania, stands  on  the  left  side  of  the  street  leading  north 
or  northeast.  The  house  stands  in  the  suburbs  on  that 
side  of  the  town,  with  its  well-shaded  lawn  some  five  or 
six  feet  above  the  pavement,  and  bounded  by  a  stone 
retaining  wall  surmounted  by  a  substantial  railing.  The 
pavement  was  crowded  with  soldiers,  tramping  steadily 
and  quietly  Northward,  over  whose  heads,  as  they  passed, 
the  beautiful  speaker  of  the  peremptory  command,  whose 
soft  voice  caused  many  a  ragged,  manly  bosom  to  thrill, 
waved  the  silken  folds  of  a  large  United  States  flag. 
Only  a  glance  at  the  bright  muskets  and  tattered  garments, 
the  alert  eyes  and  care  and  hunger-pinched  faces  of  the 
troops,  is  sufficient  to  satisfy  one  that  the  world-renowned 
little  "  Army  of  Northern  Virginia" — "  Les  Miserables'^  as 

313 


314  GETTYSBURG. 

one  of  the  young  ladies,  who  was  evidently  familiar  with 
Victor  Hugo's  novels,  wittily  called  them — have  for  the 
second  time  become  invaders,  and  are  again  about  to 
demonstrate  to  the  obtuse  intellects  of  a  peculiar  civiliza- 
tion the  truth  of  the  universally  acknowledged  axiom, 
that  the  adjective  "  ruthless ''  does  not  belong  to  the  noun 
"  invader,^'  provided  the  noun  "  invader'^  belongs  to  the 
highest  order  of  civilization. 

Leaning  with  his  back  against  the  stone  retaining  wall, 
and  listening  to  the  soft  tones  of  that  sweet  voice,  which 
reminded  him  forcibly  of  the  voice  which  once  filled  all 
his  soul  with  melody,  Mr.  Stewart,  takes  from  the  breast 
pocket  of  his  worn  and  dingy  uniform  an  envelope  bear- 
ing his  name,  in  the  beautiful,  round,  smooth,  unfashion- 
able chirography,  which  never  fails  to  bring  light  into  his 
eyes  and  a  sigh  from  his  bosom,  and  presses  it  to  his  lips. 
But  no  scrip  of  a  pen  came  in  that  envelope.  It  contained 
only  a  printed  letter — a  noble  and  patriotic  letter,  using 
the  word  "  patriotic  ^^  in  its  best  and  broadest  sense — 
from  a  talented  statesman,  an  ex-governor  of  a  Northern 
state,  and  a  cousin  to  Miss  Florence  Seymour,  to  the 
Hartford  Times,  condemning  the  furious  passion  of 
the  Abolitionists  who,  he  said,  were  seeking  "to  hide  the 
hideous  deformity  of  their  principles  under  the  capti- 
vating name  of  ^  Friends  of  the  Union,' "  and  pro- 
testing against  the  unauthorized  use  of  his  name  as  a 
vice  president  of  one  of  their  meetings,  which  he  had 
not  attended,  and  would  not  under  any  circumstances  have 
countenanced.*  The  meeting  referred  to  was  one  of  that 
"Noble  Army  of  Martyrs,"  who  were  so  willing  and 
anxious,  to  sacrifice  factory  operatives,  farm  laborers  and 
foreigners,  without  stint  or  limit,  to  preserve  the  "  Sacred 

*  Ex-Governor  Seymour,  of  New  York. 


"  OFFERING  TEMPTATIONS."  315 

Union,"  which  bound  them  to  a  people  whom  they  hated, 
but  tlie  profits  of  whose  labor  they  loved ;  and  whose 
rights,  under  the  written  instrument,  which  was  the  bond 
of  the  "Union,"  and  should  have  been  considered  the 
only  "sacred  "  thing  about  it,  they  had  been  laboring  for 
generations,  with  ever-increasing  success,  to  seduce  the 
Nortliern  mind,  into  antagonizing  as  "  a  covenant  with 
hell." 

On  this  bright  June  day,  ^Ir.  Stewart,  being  quite 
unwell,  was  off  duty.  As  the  ambulance,  in  which  he  was 
being  transported,  entered  the  southern,  or  south-western, 
suburbs  of  the  town,  there  being  a  long  halt  in  the  line, 
from  some  cause  unknown  to  him,  he  left  the  vehicle,  and 
sauntered  forward,  for  the  purpose  of  amusing  himself 
by  noticing  the  deportment  of  the  people.  The  first  thing 
that  attracted  particular  notice,  was  a  tall,  lank  woman 
perched  upon  a  pile  of  scattered  lumber,  in  a  vacant  lot, 
with  fifteen  or  twenty  children,  Avaviug  flags,  and  all 
singing,  at  the  top  of  their  voices,  a  patriotic  song,  with 
the  refrain,  "We  will  live  for  the  Union ;  we  w^ill  die  for 
the  Union,"  etc.  The  woman,  \\'hose  face  seemed  to  him, 
singularly  familiar,  gesticulated  wildly,  and  seemed  to  be 
addressing  the  sentiments  of  the  song  to  the  curious  strag- 
glers who,  like  himself,  had  paused  to  feast  their  eyes  on 
the  fresh  faces  of  innocent  childhood.  The  song  being 
ended,  the  woman  came  down  from  her  perch,  and  invited 
her  large  audience  of  "  poor  hungry-looldng  fellows  "  to 
"  come  over,  and  join  the  children  in  their  songs."  She 
assured  them  that  they  were  fighting  on  the  wrong  side, 
and  that  if  they  were  tired  of  fighting  for  the  slave- 
holders, and  would  "  come  over  and  join  the  singing,  we 
will  find  you  good  homes,  with  good  pay  for  work,  and 
plenty  to  eat  of  the  best  of  the  land."     Then,  venturing  a 


316  GETTYSBURG. 

little  nearer,  she  seemed  to  address  her  remarks  particularly 
to  Mr.  Stewart,  and  the  young  man  blushed  as  he  thought 
of  his  untidy  appearance,  and  the  buliet-torn  rent  in  his 
hat  through  which,  he  felt  satisfied,  a  lock  of  his  uncombed 
hair  was  protruding. 

^^You  are  ragged  and  dirty  and  half  starved,'^  she  said, 
"  and  why  should  you  continue  to  fight  for  your  officers  ? 
You  don't  own  slaves,  and  if  they  want  to  keep  theirs,  let 
them  do  their  own  fighting  and  starving  !  Our  money  is 
better  than  theirs,  and  you  can  get  more  of  it.  Come 
over  !     Don't  be  bashful ;  come  right  along  ! " 

Just  at  this  moment  a  passing  mounted  officer  ex- 
claimed : 

"  Move  on,  boys,  the  street  is  getting  to  be  too  much 
crowded  here ! " 

As  the  larger  portion  of  the  crowd  commenced  to  move 
forward,  the  woman  shouted  at  the  top  of  her  voice : 

^^  That's  just  the  way  you  officers  keep  those  poor  igno- 
rant creatures  in  rebellion !  You  know  if  you  was  to 
read  the  papers  to  'em,  or  let  'em  listen  at  our  songs  and 
speeches,  they'd  desert  you  quick  enough,  and  you'd  have 
to  go  to  the  gallows  !  Don't  mind  'em,  boys  ;  you  are 
fifty  to  one  ;  come  back !  '^ 

This  sally  caused  a  shout  of  laughter  and  a  cheer, 
which  the  woman  took  for  applause,  and  she  redoubled  her 
eflbrts.* 

A  few  minutes  after  the  young  master  had  lefl,  Dick, 
who  supposed  him  to  be  still  in  the  ambulance,  sauntered 
along,  and,  being  attracted  by  the  novel  sight,  he  paused 
and  rested  his  arms  upon  the  fence  and  his  chin  upon  his 
arms.     After  gazing  a  moment  he  exclaimed,  suddenly  : 

"  Wake  snakes  !     Ef  dat  ain't  dat  same  ole  cork-screw 

*  This  incident  is  trne  in  every  particular. 


"civilized  ^  ketaliation/ ''  317 

'oman  !  Ef  ^taiut  her,  dey  was  bofe  run  in  de  same  mole, 
got  de  same  me-owin'  voice  an'  de  same  ole  cork-screw 
curls.  I  never  has  skelped  a  abolitioner  yet,  an'  I  could 
git  her  har  es  cheap  es  we  gits  all  de  fine  guns  and  sodes  ! 
I  could  git  dem  cork-screws,  an'  snatch  her  baldheaded, 
an'  'twouldn't  be  no  bloody  bisness ;  not  by  no  means  ! 
But  Mars'  Uncle  Robert  says  we  must  'have  ourselves, 
an'  I's  gwine  to  do  it  or  bust ! '' 

As  Mr.  Stewart  passed  along  the  principal  street,  leis- 
urely taking  notes  and  admiring  the  beauty  and  vivacity 
of  numerous  patriotic  matrons  and  maidens,  who  crowded 
the  doors,  windows  and  balconies  with  the  stars  and 
stripes,  in  miniature  flags,  for  head  and  bosom  ornaments, 
and  for  pinafores,  which  latter  they  waved  merrily  or 
angrily,  according  to  the  humor  of  the  individual,  with 
the  exclamations  :  ^'  This  is  the  flag  to  which  your  alle- 
giance belongs  ! "  ^'  This  is  the  flag  you  ought  to  fight 
under ! "  etc.,  he  observed,  with  a  feeling  of  admiration 
for  his  people,  greater  even  than  their  gallantry  on  the 
field  had  ever  excited,  that  not  one  individual,  of  the 
motley-looking  throng  of  rough  soldiers,  made  the  rude 
and  impudent  reply  to  which  the  innocent  creatures  laid 
themselves  so  very  liable ;  and  which,  he  could  see, 
presented  itself  to  the  quick  wits  of  thousands,  who 
received  it  with  only  a  quiet  smile,  or,  perhaps,  a  whis- 
pered remark  to  a  comrade. 

Beyond  the  centre  of  the  town  he  saw  a  rollicking 
young  soldier,  an  under-graduate  of  a  medical  college, 
who,  having  been  taunted  by  a  lot  of  young  men,  on  a  side 
street,  with  his  ragged  and  seedy  appearance,  had  forced 
them  to  furnish  him  a  full  outfit  from  their  own  persons, 
put  under  arrest  and  sent  back  to  return  the  clothing,  by 
a  gallant  colonel,  who,  only  two  weeks  before^  had  received 


318  GETTYSBUKG. 

information  that  his  home  in  Decatur,  Alabama,  had  been 
robbed  and  plundered,  and  his  family  maltreated  and 
insulted  by  Federal  soldiers.* 

As  he  leaned  against  the  stone  retaining  wall,  and  lis- 
tened to  the  sweet  music  of  that  thrilling  voice,  he  saw  the 
sturdy  soldiers  "  pass  under  the  flag  ^'  in  silence,  or  the 
merry  younger  ones  jump  out  into  the  muddy  street  to 
pass  around  it,  and  then  turn  and  kiss  their  hands  to  the 
frowning  but  laughing  maidens ;  while  occasionally  some 
particularly  agile  young  man  would  make  a  spring 
upward  from  the  pavement  in  an  effort  to  grasp  the  colors, 
which  never  failed  to  call  forth  a  scream  from  all  the 
merry  party  above. 

As  the  young  man  returned  the  envelope,  which  had 
brought  liim  only  a  political  message,  to  his  pocket,  he 

*  Colonel  Horace  King,  commanding  the  Ninth  Alabama  Regi- 
ment, Wilcox's  Brigade.  We  will  also  mention,  in  this  connection, 
that  when  a  part  of  the  army  was  camped  in  the  suburbs  of  Fayette- 
ville,  Pennsylvania,  it  became  rumored  that  Brigadier  General 
Turchin  and  many  of  his  troops  resided  in  that  place.  This  rumor  was 
not  true,  so  far  as  Turchin  himself  was  concerned,  at  least,  but  it  had 
been  tauntingly  stated  to  straggling  soldiers  in  the  town  as  a  fact,  and  was 
believed,  despite  subsequent  denials,  and  caused  a  desire  on  the  part 
of  the  straggling  squads  to  commit  acts  of  retaliation.  A  force  was 
immediately  sent  into  the  town  to  preserve  order,  and  military  disci- 
pline demanded  of  these,  whose  homes  were  being  destroyed,  to  protect 
the  homes — as  they  believed — of  the  destroyers.  The  duty  was  well 
and  faithfully  performed,  but  military  discipline  was  not  entitled  to 
all  the. credit  therefor.  Those  upon  whom  the  duty  devolved  received 
the  assistance  and  influence  of  all  the  officers,  and  many  of  the  privates, 
who  were  in  tiie  town  at  the  time  as  visitors  or  sight-seei-s.  Among 
these  officers  one  had  very  recently  received  tidings  of  vandalism  and 
villainy,  committed  upon  his  home  and  family  in  North  Alabama,  by 
Turchin's  men,  of  a  particularly  exasperating  nature — Captain  John 
C.  Featherston,  of  Company  F,  Ninth  Alabama,  as  gallant  an  officer  as 
there  was  in  the  gallant  brigade,  of  which  his  company  and  regiment 
formed  a  part. 


"pass  under  the  flag!"  319 

glanced  down  the  street,  and  saw,  approaching  in  the  dis- 
tance, the  noble  form  of  him  whose  simple  presence  made 
every  man  in  that  little  army  feel  that  he  himself  was  a 
hero.  As  he  gazed  lovingly  at  the  approaching  figure,  he 
found  himself  calculating  how  long  it  might  be  before 
some  man  of  common  mould  would  stand  before  that 
greatest  soldier  and  most  modest  gentleman  of  the  age, 
and  say  in  his  heart,  with  plebeian  exultation,  "  I  am  the 
greatest  of  the  great ;  for  you  tower  above  greatness,  and 
I  have  conquered  you !"  What  did  it  matter  that  this  quiet, 
melancholy  gentleman,  had,  year  by  year,  and  almost 
month  by  month,  hurled  numberless  "greatest  captains 
of  the  age,"  from  the  very  portals  of  Fame's  temple? 
Were  they  not  as  plentiful  as  the  leaves  in  Valombrosa  ? 
What  if  they  were  selected  from  a  gradually  descending 
scale  of  military  genius  or  merit  ?  Was  not  each  one  put 
upon  a  rapidly  ascending  scale  of  chances  of  success? 
And  was  it  not  susceptible  of  mathematical  demonstra- 
tion, that  the  time  must  come  soon,  when  this  gallant 
little  army  shall  be  so  depleted  and  enfeebled  by  death 
upon  the  field,  devastation  of  the  land,  and  refusal  to 
exchange  prisoners,  that  some  one  "  greatest  captain " 
must  of  necessity  beat  his  awkward  way  beyond  the 
portals  and  into  the  temple,  and  substantiate  to  gaping 
ignorance  his  right  to  the  title  so  often  bestowed  and  so 
often  lost  ? 

'^  Pass  under  the  flag  !^^  is  again  ordered  by  the  flute- 
like voice  to  a  party  of  youngsters,  who  had  fallen  out  of 
the  ranks  one  by  one,  and  were  standing  in  the  muddy 
street  admiring  the  maidens,  and  laughing  at  the  skirmish 
of  wit  continually  kept  up  between  the  younger  veterans 
and  the  "  crinoline  battalion,"  who  held  the  fort  so 
beautifully. 

20 


320  GETTYSBURG. 

"  Pass  under  the  flag,  you  dirty,  grinning  rebels  ! "  is 
ordered  by  a  different  voice;  but,  instantly  the  musical 
voice  says  in  gentle  reproof: 

"  Oh,  Abigail !  Do  not  insult  the  poor  fellows  !  I  am 
sure  they  are  nice  looking  and  manly,  if  their  clothes  are 
a  little  queer  ;  and  they  are  so  good-natured.  Yoiu'  papa 
said  they  would  throw  mud  and  stones  at  us,  but  not  one 
has  made  even  a  rude  remark,  and  many  have  taken  off 
their  hats,  or  touched  them  to  the  old  flag,  or  to  us.  I 
think  they  are  just  splendid,  and  we  are  having  such  a 
jolly  good  time  V^ 

"  Oh,  girls !  ^'  she  exclaimed,  after  a  pause,  "  look  at 
that  grand,  old  officer  on  the  gray  horse  !  He's  a  general, 
I  know  ;  and  I'll  be  bound,  he  will  salute  the  flag  !  If  so, 
he'll  make  the  ninth  horseback  officer.'^ 

The  folds  of  the  banner  were  given  an  extra  flourish, 
and  as  General  Lee  came  nearly  opposite,  he  raised  his 
arm  with  that  peculiarly  majestic  motion,  which  hundreds 
of  his  officers  vainly  essayed  to  imitate,  and  taking  his 
soft  felt  hat  by  the  crown,  he  raised  it  perpendicularly  a 
few  inches  above  his  head  and  remained  uncovered  until 
he  had  passed. 

"  Oh,  girls  ! "  exclaimed  the  young  lady,  with  great 
enthusiasm,  forgetting  to  raise  tlie  banner  which  she  had 
lowered  in  salute,  till  it  flapped  in  the  faces  of  the  men 
passing  below ;  "  isn't  he  just  magnificent !  Don't  you 
wish  he  belonged  to  us  ?  Let's  ask  some  of  them  who  he 
is!" 

"  That  is  the  gentleman  whom  we  call  ^  Uncle  Robert,' " 
said  Mr.  Stewart,  stepping  out  from  the  wall,  and  for  the 
first  time  attracting  the  attention  of  the  young  ladies. 
"  It  is  General  Lee." 

"  Not  Robert  E.  Lee,  the  conunander  of  the  army  ?  " 


Sl^-miBMW'&Wk  ^Mi- 


Pu.ss  L'udor  the  FIhk."' 


"lee  and  the  chambersburg  girls."      323 

"  The  same." 

"  Oh,  girls  ! "  exclaimed  the  young  lady  again,  fixing 
her  eager  gaze  on  the  receding  figure ;  "  it  is  the  great  Lee  ! 
What  wouldn't  you  give  fiDr  his  autograph  !  And  he  is  the 
terrible  Lee,  with  those  sad,  beautiful  eyes  !  "  * 

"  He  is  the  courtly  Lee  who  saluted  your  banner,  which 
I,  a  ruthless  invader,  have  captured  ! "  laughed  the  young 
man,  as  he  wound  his  hand  into  the  drooping  fields  of  the 
silken  emblem. 

"  Oh,  dear ! "  exclaimed  the  young  lady  in  alarm, 
pulling  with  all  her  strength  at  the  flagstaff,  "  you  will 
not  take  it  from  me  !  Oh,  I  know  you  will  not !  The 
other  men  have  all  been  so  good,  and  I  drooped  it  in 
salute  to  your  general ! " 

"  All  is  fair  in  war  ! "  quoted  the  young  man  with  a 
laugh.  "  I  make  it  a  rule  to  capture  these,  wherever  I 
find  them,  unless  the  opposing  force  is  too  heavy.  But 
as  this  is  in  fair  hands,  I  fancy  it  would  not  be  improper 
for  me  to  accept  a  heavy  ransom." 

*This  incident  is  strictly  true  in  every  particular,  as  are  all  those 
stated  to  have  been  witnessed  by  Mr.  Stewart. 

We  will  embrace  this  opportunity  to  deny  the  truthfulness  of  a 
little  incident,  said  to  have  occurred  at  Frederick,  Maryland,  and 
which  has  been  embalmed  in  verse,  by  the  poet,  Whittier.  Mrs. 
Barbara  Frietchie,  of  that  town,  may  have  had  a  flag  floating  from 
her  attic  window  fired  at,  but  if  so,  the  act  was  done  by  stragglers,  and 
the  incident  never  came  to  the  knowledge  of  "  Stonewall "  Jackson,  and 
was  never  heard  of  by  any  of  his  ofiicers,  or  by  any  ofiicer  of  Lee's 
army,  until  it  was  read  in  Whittier's  Poems.  Had  Mr.  Whittier  him- 
self ever  been  a  "  bold  soldier  boy,"  he  could  not  have  been  humbugged, 
by  some  Captain  Jinks,  into  the  ludicrous  blunder  of  making  a  digni- 
fied general  ofiicer  "  halt  the  dust-brown  ranks,"  and  order  them  to  fire 
upon  anything,  not  to  speak  of  a  harmless  piece  of  bunting,  floating 
over  the  humble  dwelling  of  an  old  woman ;  and,  only  the  extremely 
gullible  could  believe  such  a  story  of  the  stately  and  lofty-minded 
Jackson. 


324  GETTYSBURG. 

"  Well,  there ;  you  can  have  that  for  a  trophy/'  said  the 
young  lady,  dropping  a  handkerchief  of  delicate  fabric 
upon  his  shoulder.     '^  AYill  that  do  ?  " 

"  I  prefer  something  less  tangible/' 

"A  compliment?  Well;  tell  your  sweetheart,  when 
you  write,  that  a  Yankee  girfsays,  she  has  a  very  hand- 
some and  gallant  lover." 

"  Too  thin  for  a  masked  battery  ! "  laughed  the  young 
man,  quoting  army  slang. 

^^And  that  your  general  is  the  sweetest-looking  old 
gentleman  that  she  ever  saw." 

"  Pretty  good,  despite  the  italics,  but " 

^'  ^yell,  there  ! "  exclaimed  the  young  lady,  laughingly 
throwing  a  couple  of  kisses  from  the  pink  tips  of  her 
fingers. 

^'  That  will  have  to  do,"  laughed  the  young  man,  releas- 
ing the  banner ;  ^^  as  I  am  afraid  to  storm  the  heights, 
and  capture  them,  without  the  wings."  And  tossing  a 
kiss  to  each  of  the  ^^  color  guard,"  and  several  to  the 
bearer,  he  ^^ passed  under  the  flag"  and  resumed  the 
march. 

At  the  corner,  he  turned  to  wave  his  ^'  trophy,"  and 
received  a  shower  of  winged  kisses  in  return. 

A  few  days  later,  that  "trophy"  was  torn  from  the  breast 
pocket  in  which  he  deposited  it,  by  a  discharge  of  grape- 
shot,  which  blew  unburnt  powder  into  the  flesh  of  the 
young  man's  face  and  hands,  and  hurled  him,  a  black  and 
bleeding  mass,  against  an  adjacent  boulder,  on  the  heights 
of  Gettysburg,  where  his  command  had  fought  its  slow 
and  determined  way,  step  by  step,  until  it  charged  up  into 
the  very  jaws  of  destruction. 

Histories  have  painted  pictures  of  the  battle  of  Gettys- 
burg, but  how  cold  to  him  who  helped  to  storm  the  heightis, 


"a  federal  officer's  letter."  325 

sound   the   phlegmatic   words   of  even   the   enthusiastic 
Pollard  : 

"  It  was  thought  at  one  time,  the  day  was  w^on.  Wilcox's 
Alabama,  and  Wright's  Georgia  brigades,  almost  gained 
the  ridge,  but  reinforcements  reached  the  Federal  forces  at 
that  point  and,  unsupported  by  the  remainder  of  their 
division,  they  failed  to  drive  the  enemy  from  his  strong- 
hold.'' * 

We  will  give  an  extract  from  a  letter,  written  by 
Brigadier  General  Conrad — our  old  acquaintance  of  the 
Peninsula,  Captain  Frank  Conrad — to  his  cousin,  Miss 
Florence  Seymour,  giving  a  picture  of  the  scene,  from  the 
Federal  standpoint,  on  top  of  the  mountain,  which,  if  less 
concise  and  comprehensive  than  Mr.  Pollard's,  is  rather 
more  graphic.  [This  is  a  genuine  letter,  which  has  been 
published  before,  and  is  here  somewhat  abridged.]  : 

"  Every  cartridge  box  had  been  emptied  again  and 
again,  and  a  fourth  of  the  brigade  had  melted  away,  in 
dead,  wounded,  and  missing.  iSTot  a  shout  is  heard  in  the 
whole  brigade,  for  w^e  know  we  are  being  driven,  foot  by 
foot,  and  that  when  we  break  back  once  more,  the  line  will  go 
to  pieces,  -and  the  enemy  will  pour  through  the  gap.  We 
have  appealed  for  helj),  and  finally  it  comes.  Six  guns, 
withdrawn  from  some  other  position  to  save  ours,  come 
thundering  over  stones  and  fiillen  trees  to  our  aid.  In  a 
moment  they  are  in  position,  the  horses  are  hurrying  away 
and  the  ammunition  boxes  are  open.  The  command  is 
sent  up  and  down  the  line  :  '■  Give  them  one  more  volley, 
and  fall  back  to  support  the  guns.'  It  is  scarcely  done 
when,  boom  !  boom  !  boom !  opens  the  battery,  and  jets  of 
flame  leap  down  and  scorch  the  green  trees,  under  which 
we  fought  and  despaired.     The  shattered,  old  brigade  has 

*  E.  A.  Pollard's  "  Lost  Cause,"  quoted  from  meiuory. 


326  GETTYSBURG. 

a  chance  to  breathe,  for  the  first  time  in  three  hours,  as 
we  form  a  line  of  battle  behind  the  guns  and  lie  down. 

^^  Every  gun  is  using  short  fuse  shells.  The  ground 
shakes  and  trembles  ;  the  roar  shuts  out  all  sound  from 
three  hundred  other  guns  that  are  bellowing  along  the 
ridges,  and  the  shells  go  shrieking  into  the  swamp,  to  cut 
trees  short  off,  to  moAv  great  gaps  in  the  bushes,  to 
hunt  out  and  shadow  and  mangle  men,  until  their  corpses 
cannot  be  recognized  as  human.  A  tornado  howls  through 
the  forest,  followed  by  billows  of  fire,  and  yet  men  live 
through  it !  Aye ;  and  press  forward  to  capture  the 
batterv  !  Amid  the  fierce  shrieks  and  screams  of  shell 
and  shrapnel,  their  feeble  human  shouts  are  heard,  as  they 
climb  up  over  boulders  and  fallen  timber,  to  beard  in  their 
lair  the  howling  demons  of  death  !  Shells  are  changed 
for  grape  and  canister,  and  the  guns  are  served  with  such 
rapidity  that  all  reports  blend  into  one  mighty  roar. 
Through  the  smoke  climb  up  a  swarm  of  men.  It  is  not 
a  battle  line,  but  a  mob,  desperate  enough  to  bathe  their 
bayonets  in  the  flame  of  the  guns,  which  leap  from  the 
ground,  almost,  as  they  are  depressed  on  the  foe  !  Shrieks 
and  screams  and  shouts  blend  into  one  awful  and  steady 
cry.  Twenty  men  out  of  the  battery  are  down  and  the 
firing  is  interrupted.  The  survivors  prepare  for  a  last 
round.  The  foe  are  not  ten  feet  away  when  it  is  given. 
That  discharge  picks  living  men  off  their  feet,  and  hurls 
them,  black  and  bleeding  masses  of  flesh  and  bones,  into 
the  swamp  below.     But  the  battery  is  taken  ! 

"  Up  now,  boys ;  the  enemy  are  among  the  guns  ! 
There  is  silence  a  few  moments  for  deliberate  aim  and  then 
a  flash  and  mighty  roar  of  musketry  and  a  rush  forw^ard 
with  the  bavonet.  For  what  ?  Neither  on  the  ri^ht  nor 
left  nor  in  front  of  us  is  there  a  yelling  foe  !     Not  even  a 


"death's  harvest."  329 

shriek  or  groan  tells  of  a  living  enemy  !  Death's  harvest 
has  been  reaped  with  a  thoroughness  that  is  appalling ! 
The  wheels  of  the  guns  cannot  move  until  the  blockade 
of  dead  is  removed.  Men  cannot  pass  from  caisson  to  gun 
without  climbing  over  winrows  of  dead.  Every  gun  and 
wheel  is  sm^red  with  blood ;  every  foot  of  grass  has  its 
horrible  stain.  Burial  parties  saw  murder  where  historians 
will  see  only  glory  !  '^ 

"General,"  exclaimed  a  young  officer,  approaching 
Brigadier  General  Conrad,  a  few  minutes  after  the  occur- 
rences, which  we  have  permitted  him  to  describe  above, 
"  the  Rebels  have  got  niggers  in  their  army ;  this  sword 
was  taken  from  one  who  w^as  an  officer  and  fell  just  in 
front  of  the  battery." 

"  Eh  ?  What ! "  exclaimed  the  general,  springing  up 
from  the  train  of  a  gun  carriage,  upon  which  he  was  sit- 
ting, sadly  contemplating  the  harvest  of  death  around  him. 

"  That  is  my  old  sword,  presented  by  the  ladies  of 

church,  and  which  I  gave  up  when  captured  at  Williams- 
burg. Negro,  did  you  say  ?  Poor  Dick  !  I  thought  he 
was  too  sensible  to  expect  to  find  an  ^  Abolitioner '  in  such 
a  place  as  this.     Take  me  to  him." 

The  supposed  negro  was  found  lying  against  a  smooth 
boulder,  as  if  taking  needed  rest,  with  his  head  bound  in 
the  ample  folds  of  a  red  cotton  handkerchief,  in  the  absence 
of  a  hat,  and  his  chin  resting  on  his  chest.  ^he  general 
hastily  removed  the  handkerchief,  exposing  a  head  of 
dark  matted  hair  and  a  broad  white  forehead. 

"  My  God  ! "  he  exclaimed,  as  he  fell  upon  his  knees 
and  seized  the  body  of  his  friend  in  his  arms.  "  It  is 
Stewart,  of  Alabama  !  Quick  !  run  for  the  surgeon — 
there  may  be  life  in  him — and  bring  a  litter  !  Poor  fel- 
low ! "  added  the  officer,  with  tearful  eyes,  as  he  laid  his 


330  GETTYSBURG. 

warm  cheek  against  the  cold,  clammy  face  of  his  political 
foe ;  "  how  earnest  must  have  been  your  devotion  to  the 
cause  which  prompted  you  to  defy  death  in  so  terrible  a 
stronghold  as  this  ! " 

While  General  Conrad  is  having  the  inanimate  form 
of  his  friend  conveyed  to  headquarters,  we  will  take  just 
one  glance  into  the  "  swamp  ^'  below,  at  a  picture  presented 
by  a  foreigner.  The  London  Times j  of  September,  1863, 
contained  a  letter  from  Mr.  Russell,  its  war  correspondent, 
in  which  the  following  is  narrated  ; 

"  Brigadier  General  Wilcox  rushed  up  to  General  Lee,  wringing 
his  hands,  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  and  exclaimed:  "General  Lee, 
my  poor  boys  have  been  butchered !  We  were  not  supported,  and  I 
have  not  a  corporal's  guard  left ! "  To  which  General  Lee  replied : 
"  I  got  you  into  this,  general,  and  you  must  now  do  what  you  can  to 
get  me  out  of  it ! "  * 

A  few  hours  after  the  quiet  stars,  whose  serene  beauty 
'  never  fails  to  make  sentient  man  deplore  the  fierce  pas- 
sions in  his  frail  bosom,  had  come  to  look  down  in  sadness 
upon  the  scene  of  death,  a  Federal  soldier,  on  the  ridge, 
approached  his  officer  with  a  prisoner. 

"  Captain,"  said  he,  "  here  is  a  nigger  soldier — a  color 
sergeant,  he  says — whom  we  found  groping  about  among 
the  Rebel  dead." 

"  Are  you  a  deserter,  sir,  from  the  Rebel  side ;  or 
were  you  robbing  the  dead  ?  "  asked  the  officer,  sternly. 

"  No,  boss ;  I's  above  dat,"  replied  the  negro,  humbly 
and  sadly.  ^'  Ts  a  poor  orfin  nigger,  widout  no  company, 
an'  no  reg'ment  nor  nothin\" 

"Were  you  robbing  the  dead;  or  what  brought  you 
here  ?  " 

"Dey  all  lef'  me  in  de  bottom,  an'  said  dey  was  gwine 

*  Quoted  from  memory.  ^ 


'^TAKEN  FOR   A   SPY.''  331 

to  have  dese  big  guns  on  de  mountain,  or  sleep  de  las' 
sleep  'mongst  dese  cliffs ;  an'  dar  ain't  but  two  or  three  of 
'em  got  back  crippled  and  scyared  up." 

'^  But  why  should  you  come  up  here  ?  " 

"  I's  been  perusin'  'roun'  huntin'  for  my  young  marster, 
sar,"  replied  the  negro,  as  tears  ran  down  his  cheeks. 

'^  Perhaps  go,"  said  the  officer,  doubtingly.  "  Let's  see 
if  you  may  chance  to  have  any  papers  or  letters  about  your 
clothes." 

"  Papers  !  Letters ! "  exclaimed  Dick,  looking  wildly 
around,  as  he  thought  of  Marienne's  letter  sewed"  in  the 
breast  pocket  of  his  buckskin  jacket ;  "  no,  boss,  you  can't 
see  dat." 

"  What !  The  devil !  Call  ih^  sergeant !  This  man 
is  a  spy  !  Hold  him ! "  shouted  the  officer,  springing  at 
Dick,  as  he  jerked  loose  from  the  soldier  and  bounded  off 
into  the  darkness  with  the  fleetness  of  a  deer,  closely  pur-  ^ 
sued  by  his  captors.  The  poor  negro  might  have  made 
his  escape  had  he  not  fallen  over  a  log,  and  been  mounted 
the  next  instant  by  both  of  his  pursuers.  Finding  him- 
self powerless,  with  two  strong,  active  men  holding  him 
upon  the  ground,  an  idea  occurred  to  him  to  use  his  wits 
as  a  last  resort  in  the  emergency. 

"  Boss,"  said  he,  ceasing  the  struggle,  ^^  does  you  know 
Mars'  Cap'n  Conrad?" 

"Conrad?     What  of  him?" 

''Me  an'  him  is  ole  cronies,  an'  ef  he  was  here  he 
wouldn't  let  you  treat  me  dis  way." 

"  Where  did  you  ever  see  or  hear  of  him  ?  " 

"  I  tuck  him  prisoner  at  Williamsburg,  an'  got  his  sode 
an'  his  flag  and  everything ;  an'  didn't  fling  him  down 
an'  sarch  his  pockets,  an'  rip  open  his  jacket  nor  nothin' ; 
but  treat  him  like  a  gent'man." 


332  GETTYSBURG. 

"  Is  your  name  Dick  Anderson  Stewart  ?  " 

^^How  does  you  know  dat?"  exclaimed  Dick,  making 
an  eifort  to  see  if  his  jacket  pocket  had  not  been  rifled. 

"  Why,  I  know  you.  We  had  a  talk  once  across  the 
Warwick  river  near  Yorktown  about  that  "  old  rooster  " 
at  Barrensville.    Have  you  scalped  an  ^  abolitioner '  yet  ?  " 

"  No,  boss,''  replied  the  poor  fellow,  as  he  arose  and 
brushed  the  dirt  from  his  clothing,  ^^  but  dar  frens  is  done 
tored  de  heart  clean  out  o'  me.  Does  you  know  Mars' 
Chyarles  Styode?"  and  again  tears  stole  down  his 
cheeks. 

*^  Yes  ;  I  saw  him  an  hour  ago.  He  isn't  dead  yet,  Dick. 
Take  him  to  the  general's  headquarters,  Shultz,"  and  the 
officer  turned  away,  as  he  felt  a  flush  of  sympathy  for  the 
faithful  creature  swell  the  veins  of  his  face. 

Within  ten  minutes  Dick's  capture  had  been  reported, 
and  he  was  kneeling  by  the  camp-bed  on  which  lay  the 
young  master;  had  been  recognized  by  him  and  was 
pouring  out  his  soul  in  the  most  devout  and  earnest 
prayer  of  his  life. 

There  will  be  neither  pleasure  nor  anything  to  warm 
the  heart  or  strengthen  the  faith  in  the  civilizing  power  of 
some  phases  of  Christianity,  to  be  gained  by  following 
Mr.  Stewart  to  prison. 

"  Retaliation  ! "  Ah  !  that  miserable  word  which  no 
Christian  people  should  suifer  to  dictate  a  policy  or  course 
to  be  pursued,  caused,  during  a  period  of  more  than  two 
long  years,  thousands  of  gallant  hearts  to  sink,  despair  and 
die  that  had  never  been  made  to  quail  before  thundering 
batteries  flanked  by  glittering  bayonets  ! 

And,  as  practiced  in  Northern  prisons,  it  was  retaliation 
for  what  ?  For  the  inability  of  a  gallant  people,  who,  in 
all  their  history  had  never  been  known  to  do  a  wantonly 


After  the  Battle. 


"is  all  fair  in  war?"  333 

cruel  act,  half  exhausted  and  half  starved,  with  the 
outside  world  shut  off  from  them,  to  provide  sugar,  which 
not  one  in  a  hundred  citizens  could  get ;  coffee,  which 
even  the  wealthiest  families  had  forgotten  the  taste  of; 
tea,  which  was  imported  only  in  the  pockets  of  spies ; 
medicines,  which  could  only  be  obtained  from  Federal 
purveyors  by  force  of  arms ;  blankets  and  clothing, 
which,  for  the  greater  part,  like  arms,  could  only  be 
gathered  from  battle-fields,  as  the  Israelites  gathered 
manna  ;  and  other  things  comfortable  to  human  creatures, 
and  usually  considered  as  necessaries  of  life,  but  which 
were  equally  scarce  and  unattainable  ?  Retaliation  for 
the  inability  of  the  Confederates  to  provide  these  things  for 
hundreds  and  thousands  upon  thousands  of  prisoners  of 
whom  they  could  not  get  rid  on  any  terms,  and  who  were 
much  less  dangerous  to  the  life  of  the  Confederacy  as  sol- 
diers in  the  field  than  as  consumers  of  meat  and  bread  in 
her  prisons ;  that  meat  and  bread,  the  scant  rations  of 
which  were  issued  to  the  "interior  subjugating  army"  in 
as  full  weight,  and  with  greater  regularity  than  was  vouch- 
safed to  the  Confederate  soldiers  on  the  tented  field. 

If  the  old  aphorism  that  "  All  is  fair  in  war "  be  true, 
then,  of  course,  it  is  fair  to  eat  and  worry  a  foe  into  sub- 
jection ;  but  no  creature,  whose  civilization  is  founded  on 
Christianity,  will  admit  that  it  is  fair,  while  the  slow  but 
sure  process  is  going  on,  to  starve  and  treeze  the  luckless 
prisoners  taken  from  the  victim,  and  seek  to  excuse  it  on 
the  plea  of  Retaliation  ! 

One  poor  creature,  who  commanded  a  Southern  prison, 
was  hanged  because  his  amiability  was  supposed  to  have 
been  not  so  great  as  was  the  poverty  of  his  Government. 
Could  equal  "justice,"  as  therein  displayed,  have  been 
meted  out  to  the  gentle  spirits  on  the  other  side,  who 


334  GETTYSBURG. 

served  their  country  by  originating  and  enforcing  the 
policy  of  retaliation,  there  would  have  been  a  line  of  gib- 
bets in  that  country  froni  Maine  to  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains. 

General  Conrad,  when  his  friend  became  convalescent, 
volunteered  to  procure  for  him,  if  possible,  similar  kind- 
nesses to  those  which  had  been  extended  to  himself  at 
Richmond ;  but  he  informed  him  that,  as  no  member  of 
his  family  had  ever  been  an  Abolitionist,  and  not  one  was 
even  a  Republican,  they  and  their  friends  could  exert  but 
little  influence,  except  on  the  fields  of  battle.  As  was 
anticipated,  his  influence  accomplished  nothing  with  the 
authorities  in  the  rear,  but  his  money,  which  was  sent 
regularly,  and  was — ^through  Dick's  instrumentality  in 
lending  himself  to  an  amiable  fraud — gladly  received, 
went  far  toward  ameliorating  his  condition,  as  a  passive 
object  of  retaliation. 

What  a  powerful  and  effective  combination  did  Mr.  Stew- 
art's nearer  view  of  Federal  affairs  reveal  to  his  mind  !  How 
skillfully  were  good,  bad  and  indifferent  linked  together, 
assigned  appropriate  and  congenial  tasks,  and  made  to 
work,  all  toward  the  one  desired  end — success !  The  good 
and  the  brave,  with  comparatively  few  of  the  others,  com- 
posed the  fighting  force ;  the  bad  and  the  vicious — cow- 
ards necessarily — composed  the  force  to  occupy  or  overrun 
conquered  territory,  and  the  indifferent  and  skulking; 
No !  The  gentle  spirits  who  had,  by  exciting  sectional 
hatred,  built  up  the  great  Republican  party  out  of  the  once 
despised  Abolition  party — the  gentle  spirits  whose  tender 
sensibilities  would  not  suffer  them  to  look  upon  the  blood 
of  the  swine  upon  which  they  fed — left  to  fill  contracts, 
fire  the  temperate  heart,  persecute  tliose  that  were  too  tem- 
perate to  be  fired,  shout   for  the   Union,   manufacture 


Stewart  under  Conrad's  care. 


"a  new  method  of  warfare/'  337 

sentiment,  boss  prisons,  enforce  rigid  retaliation — one 
blanket  where  the  thermometer  stands  thirty  degrees 
below  zero,  for  one  blanket  where  the  thermometer  rarely 
falls  to  the  freezing  point — manufacture  false  stories  of 
'^  Southern  atrocities,'^  blow  the  horn  of  the  nation  and 
abuse  all  the  world  except  "the  best  government  the 
world  ever  saw."  If  we  have  failed  to  mention  any  of 
the  dirty  "chores''  of  "The  Nation"  they  too  were  per- 
formed by  these  gentle  spirits  who  distilled  inspiration 
from  the  moral  garbage  on  which  they  fed. 

And  when  we  consider  that  in  addition  to  all  these 
forces,  a  large  part  of  the  surplus  population  of  the  civi- 
lized world  was  put  through  the  seive  of  battle  to  furnish 
a  new  and  a  cunningly  and  diabolically-conceived  and  a 
previously-untried  method  of  warfare — a  force  of  able  and 
efficient  eaters  quartered  in  Southern  prisons,  and  con- 
suming the  rations  which  would  have  given  physical 
strength  to  the  soldiers  in  the  field — can  it  be  wondered 
at  that  the  patient  Lee  displayed  his  wonderful  genius, 
and  his  ragged  and  starving  little  army  astonished  the 
world  with  its  deeds  of  valor,  all  in  vain  ? 


Harvested. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 
A  Borrowed  Picture. 

"  I  Viet  a  fool 
Who  laid  him  down  and  basked,  him  in  the  sun." — Shakspeare. 

"  We  *     *     *  must  not  scorn 
The  teachings  of  the  idiot  born" — Eliza  Cook. 

IN  this  sublunary  world  of  ours  the  wise  people  know 
that  there  are  fools,  and  there  are  Fools  ;  and  that  the 
most  foolish  of  all  fools  are  the  would-seem  candid  Fools 
who  tell  a  damaging  truth  on  themselves  as  a  sort  of 
collateral  guaranty  that  the  falsehood  which  they  tell  on 
a  neighbor  is  not  devoid  of  truth.  The  fool  of  this  class 
is  given  to  garrulity,  and  when  his  folly  leads  him  to 
crawl  into  print,  he  is  entitled  to  the  honor  of  being  con- 
sidered the  Prince  of  Fools.  Gentle  reader,  please  bear 
in  mind  that  this  writer  is  in  the  audience-chamber  and 
not  in  the  confessional. 

While  we  are  waiting  to  ascertain  if  ^^  retaliation  "  shall 
starve  or  freeze  our  hero,  or  only  fit  him  to  return  home 
and  die  of  consumption,  or  of  general  debility,  or  to  live 
on,  drawn  and  crippled  by  rheumatism,  we  will  present  a 
picture  which  was  limned  by  a  Fool  who  did  an 
Errand,  and  then  became  a  "writer  of  books;''  but 
who,  with  all  of  his  writing,  forgot  to  tell  the  reader 
whether  his  object  was  to  excuse  or  to  boast  of  his  folly. 
And  yet  he  was  no  common  fool,  but  an  artist  who  painted 
magic  pictures,  and  endowed  them  with  the  peculiar 
338 


«   C1TTT>T%TTTT.-/-1  A  TIT^T^T^T      ?> 


SUBDUING   A   REBEL."  339 

power  to  make  the  reader  laugh  or  weep  according  to  the 
quality  and  degree  of  his  civilization.  Before  presenting 
the  picture  which  we  have  selected,  we  will  let  the  artist 
introduce  himself  as  : 

"The  Captain  of  the  Peru  Invincibles,  which  consti- 
tuted Company  B  of  an  infantry  regiment  that  did  an 
incredible  amount  of  boasting  at  the  outset,  a  marvelous 
amount  of  running  soon  after,  and  a  reasonable  amount  of 
fighting  still  later  in  the  Civil  War." 

But  bear  in  mind,  gentle  reader,  that  this  reasonable  or 
unreasonable  amount  of  fighting  was  done  in  that  "  cele- 
brated march '^  of  a  great  army  to — the  sea!  In  that 
wonderful  "march"  the  Peru  Invincibles,  Avith  the 
balance  of  the  terrible  hosts,  proved  their  invincibility  by 
fearlessly  charging  serried  ranks  of  rail  fences,  bristling 
chevaux-de-frke  of  yard  and  garden  palings,  and  panoplied 
hosts  of  pigs  and  poultry,  to  say  nothing  of  the  warlike 
mules,  crows,  "garden  sass,"  pantries,  silver  chests,  jew- 
dvj,  "  niggers,"  women,  children,  smokehouses  and  buried 
treasures  that  infested  that  whole  country  from  Atlanta 
to  the  sea.  But  we  are  giving  a  little  charcoal  sketch  of 
our  own  instead  of  presenting  the  chef  cVoeuvre  by  the 
master.     We  draw  the  curtain. 

"First  the  factory  [belonging  to  Colonel  Desmit,  a 
rebel]  and  the  thousands  of  bales  carefully  placed  in  store 
near  by  were  given  to  the  flames.  *  *  *  During  the 
ensuing  night  he  [whose  cotton  had  been  destroyed] 
arrived  at  his  destination,  where  he  found  everything  in 
conftision  and  affi'ight.  It  was  a  vast  collection  of  most 
valuable  stores.  It  was  one  of  the  sheet  anchors  which 
the  prudent  and  far-seeing  Potestatem  Desmit"  [why 
should  the  Puritan  artist  have  imposed  such  an  outlandish 
name  upon  his  typical  Southern  Christian?]  "had  thrown 


340  A   BORROWED   PICTURE. 

out  to  Avindward  in  anticipation  of  a  coming  storm.  For 
half  a  mile  along  the  banks  of  the  little  stream,  which 
was  just  wide  enough  to  float  a  loaded  batteau,  the  barrels 
of  resin  and  pitch  and  turpentine  were  piled,  tier  upon 
tier,  hundreds  and  thousands  upon  thousands  of  them. 
Potestatem  Desmit  looked  at  them  and  shuddered  at  the 
desolation  which  a  torch  would  produce  in  an  instant. 
*  *  *  But  he  had  great  confidence  in  himself,  his  own 
powers  of  persuasion  and  diplomacy.  He  would  try  them 
once  more,  and  would  not  fail  to  make  them  serve  for  all 
they  might  be  worth,  to  save  this  hoarded  treasure." 

Potestatem  Desmit  had  his  carriage  geared  up  and 
went  coolly  forth  to  meet  the  invaders.  He  had  heard 
much  of  their  savage  ferocity  [as  exercised  toward  the 
panoplied  hosts  of  pigs,  poultry,  d  cetera],  and  was  by  no 
means  ignorant  of  the  danger  which  he  ran  in  thus  going 
voluntarily  into  their  clutches.  Nevertheless,  he  did  not 
falter.  He  had  great  reliance  in  his  personal  presence. 
So  he  dressed  with  care  ;  and  arrayed  in  clean  linen,  and 
a  suit  of  the  finest  broadcloth,  then  exceedingly  scarce  in 
the  Confederacy,  and  with  his  snowv  hair  and  beard,  his 
high  hat,  his  hands  crossed  over  a  gold-headed  cane,  and 
gold-mounted  glasses  upon  his  nose,  he  set  out  upon  his 
mission.  The  night  before  he  had  pi-udently  removed 
from  the  place  every  drop  of  spirits,  except  a  small 
demijohn  of  old  peach-brandy,  which  he  put  under  the 
seat  of  his  carriage,  intending  therewith  to  regale  the 
highest  official  whom  he  should  succeed  in  approaching, 
even  though  it  should  be  the  dreaded  Sherman  himself. 

^He  had  proceeded  perhaps  half  a  mile,  when  his 
carriage  was  all  at  once  surrounded  bv  a  motley  crew  of 
curiously-dressed,  but  well-armed    ruffians,  whose    very 


"facetious  bummers."  341 

appearance  disgusted  and  alarmed  him.  With  oaths  and 
threats  the  lumbering  chariot,  which  represented  in  itself 
no  little  of  respectability,  was  stopped.  The  appearance 
of  such  a  vehicle  upon  the  sandy  road  of  the  pine  woods, 
coming  directly  toward  the  advancing  column,  struck  the 
"bummers"  vdth.  surprise.  They  made  a  thousand 
inquiries  of  the  frightened  driver,  and  were  about  to 
remove  and  appropriate  the  sleek  span  of  carriage-horses, 
when  the  occupant  of  the  carriage,  opening  the  window, 
thrust  out  his  head,  and  with  a  face  flaming  with  indig- 
nation, ordered  them  to  desist,  bestowing  upon  them  a 
volley  of  epithets,  beginning  with  "  rascals,"  and  running 
as  far  into  the  language  of  abuse  as  his  somewhat  heated 
imagination  could  carry  him. 

"Hello,  Bill!"  said  the  bummer  who  was  unfastening 
the  right-wheeler,  as  he  looked  back  and  saw  the  red  face, 
framed  into  a  circlet  of  white  hair  and  beard.  "  Just  look 
at  this  old  sunflower,  will  you  ?  I  guess  the  old  bird 
must  think  he  commands  the  brigade.  Ha  !  ha  !  ha  ! 
I  say,  old  fellow,  when  did  you  leave  the  ark  ?  " 

"  And  was  Noah  and  his  family  well  when  you  bid  'em 
good-by  ?  "  queried  another. 

This  levity  and  ridicule  were  too  much  for  Colonel  P. 
Desmit  to  endure.  He  leaned  out  of  the  carriage  window, 
and  shaking  his  gold-headed  cane  at  the  mirthful  marau- 
ders, denounced  them  in  language  fearful  in  its  impotent 
wrath. 

"  Take  me  to  General  Sherman,  you  rascals  !  I  want 
to  see  the  general ! "  he  yelled  over  and  over  again.    , 

"  The  hell  you  do  !  Well,  now,  mister,  don't  you  know 
that  the  general  is  too  nervous,  to  see  company  to-day  ? 
He's  just  sent  us  on  ahead  a  bit  to  say  to  strangers  that 
he's  compelled  to  refuse  all  visitors  to-day.     He  gets  that 

21 


342  A   BORROWED   PICTURE. 

way  sometimes,  does  ^Old  Bill/  so  you  mustn^t  think 
hard  of  him,  at  all." 

"  Take  me  to  the  general,  you  plundering  pirates ! " 
vociferated  the  enraged  colonel.  "  I'll  see  if  a  country 
gentleman  traveling  in  his  own  carriage,  along  the  high- 
way is  to  be  robbed  and  abused  in  this  manner  ! " 

"  Robbed,  did  he  say  ?  "  queried  one  with  the  unmis- 
takable brogue  of  an  Irishman.  "  Faith,  it  must  be  that 
the  gintleman  has  somethin'  very  important  along  wid 
him  in  the  carriage  that's  he's  gittin'  so  excited  about ; 
and  it's  meself  that'll  not  see  the  gintleman  imposed  on, 
sure."  This  with  a  wink  at  his  comrades.  Then  to  the 
occupant  of  the  carriage :  "  "Wliat  did  your  honor  say 
might  be  your  name,  now  ?  It's  very  partickler  the 
gineral  is  about  insthructin'  us  to  ax  the  names  of  thim 
that's  wantin'  an'  introduction  to  him,  ye  know?" 

The  solemnity  of  this  address,  half  deceived  the  irate 
Southron,  and  he  answered,  with  dignity : 

"Desmit — Colonel  Potestatem  Desmit,  of  Horsford 
County,  sir." 

"  Ah,  d'ye  hear  that,  b'ys  ?  Faith,  it's  a  kurnel  it  is  ye've 
bin  a  sthopin'  here  upon  the  highway.  Sure,  it  may  be  that 
he's  goin'  to  the  general  wid  a  flag  of  truce,  belike." 

"I  do  wish  to  treat  with  the  general,"  said  Desmit, 
thinking  he  saw  a  chance  to  put  in  a  favorable  word. 

"An'  d'ye  hear  that,  b'ys?  Shure  the  gintleman 
wants  to  trate  the  gineral.  Faith,  it'll  be  right  glad  the 
auld  b'y'll  be  of  a  dhrap  of  somethin'  good  down  here  in 
the  pine  woods." 

"  Can  I  see  the  general,  gentleman  ?  "  asked  Desmit,  with 
a  growing  feeling  that  he  had  taken  the  wrong  course  to 
accomplish  his  end.  The  crowd  of  bummers  constantly 
grew  larger.     They  were  mounted  upon  horses  and  mules, 


"without  fear  or  reverence."     343 

jacks  and  jennets,  and  one  of  them  had  put  a  McClellan 
saddle  and  a  gag-bit  upon  one  of  the  black-polled  cattle 
which  abound  in  that  region,  and  which  ambled  along 
easily  and  briskly,  with  his  rider's  feet  just  brushing  the 
low  "  poverty-pines  "  which  grew  by  the  roadside.  They 
wore  all  sorts  of  clothing.  The  blue  and  the  gray  were 
already  peacefiilly  intermixed  in  the  garments  of  most  of 
them.  [The  gray  had  come  out  of  ^^  captured  "  trunks, 
not  from  the  backs  of  defeated  rebels  !]  The  most  gro- 
tesque variety  prevailed,  especially  in  their  head-gear, 
which  culminated  in  the  case  of  one  who  wore  a  long 
barrel-shaped  slatted  sun-bonnet,  made  out  of  spotted 
calico.  They  were  boisterous,  and  even  amusing,  had  they 
not  been  well  armed,  and  .apparently  without  fear  or 
reverence  for  any  authority  or  individual.  [How  half 
a  dozen  of  the  "  Barrensville  skirmishers "  would  have 
made  them  ^^crawl  out  o'  them  clo's  "  and  root  up  the 
"poverty-pines,"  in  panic-stricked  terrror.]  For  the 
present,  the  Irishman  was  evidently  in  command,  by 
virtue  of  his  witty  tongue. 

"  Can  ye  see  the  gineral,  kurnel  ? "  said  he,  with  the 
utmost  apparent  deference,  "av  coorse  ye  can,  sir,  only 
it'll  be  necessary  for  you  to  leave  your  carriage,  an'  the 
horses  and  nagur  here,  in  care  of  these  gintlemen,  while 
I  takes  ye  to  the  gineral  meself." 

"  Why  can  I  not  drive  on  ?  " 

"  Why  can't  ye  dhrive  ?  Is  it  a  kurnel  ye  is,  an'  don't 
know  that  ?  Sure  the  cavalry  an'  the  arthillery,  an'  the 
caysons,  an'  one  thing  an'  another  of  that  kind  would 
soon  crush  a  charyot  like  that  to  flinders,  ye  know." 

"  I  cannot  leave  my  carriage,"  said  Desmit. 

"  Mein  Gott,  shust  hear  him  now  ! "  said  a  voice  on  the 
other  side,  which  caused  Desmit  to  turn  with  a  start.     A 


344  A  BORROWED   PICTURE. 

bearded  German,  with  a  pair  of  myoptic  glasses  adding 
their  glare  to  the  peculiar  intensity  of  the  short-sighted 
gaze,  had  climbed  upon  the  opposite  wheel,  during  his 
conversation  with  Pat,  and  leaning  half  through  the 
window,  was  scanning  carefully  the  inside  of  the  carriage. 
He  had  already  one  hand  on  the  demijohn  of  peach  brandy, 
upon  which  the  owner's  hopes  so  much  depended.  Potes- 
tatem  Desmit,  was  no  coward,  and  his  gold-headed  cane 
made  the  acquaintance  of  the  Dutchman's  pate,  before  he 
had  time  to  utter  a  word  of  protestation. 

It  was  all  over  in  a  minute,  then.  There  was  a  rush 
and  a  scramble.  The  old  man  was  dragged  out  of  his 
carriage,  fighting  manfully,  but  vainly.  Twenty  hands 
laid  hold  upon  him.  The  gold-headed  cane  vanished ; 
the  gold-mounted  glasses  disappeared ;  his  watch  leaped 
from  his  pocket,  and  the  chain  was  soon  dangling  at  the 
fob  of  one  of  the  still  laughing  marauders.  Then  one 
insisted  that  his  hat  was  unbecoming  for  a  colonel,  and  a 
battered  and  dirty  infantry  cap,  with  a  half-obliterated 
corps  badge  and  regimental  number,  was  jammed  down 
on  his  gray  hairs  ;  he  was  required  to  remove  his  coat, 
and  then  another  took  a  fancy  to  his  vest.  The  one  who 
took  his  coat,  gave  him  in  exchange  a  very  ragged,  greasy 
and  altogether  disgusting  cavalry  jacket,  much  too  short, 
and  not  large  enough  to  button.  The  carriage  was  almost 
torn  in  pieces,  in  the  search  for  treasure.  Swords  [of  line, 
field,  staff  or  general  officers  ?]  and  bayonets  were  thrust 
through  the  paneling;  the  cushions  were  ripped  open, 
the  cover  torn  off,  and  every  possible  hiding-place 
examined.  Then,  thinking  it  must  be  about  his  person, 
they  [why  doesn't  the  invincible  Peruvian  use  the  first 
person  plural  ?]  compelled  him  to  take  off  his  boots  and 
stockings.     In  their  stead,  a  pair  of  almost  soleless  shoes 


'*MILITAKY  courtesies/'  345 

were  thrown  him  by  some  one  who  appropriated  the 
boots. 

Meantime,  the  Irishman  had  distributed  the  contents  of 
the  demijohn,  after  having  filled  his  own  canteen.  Then 
there  was  great  hilarity.  The  taste  of  the  "colonel" 
was  loudly  applauded ;  his  health  was  drunk,  and  it  was 
decided  to  move  on  with  him  in  charge.  The  "  bummer  " 
who  rode  the  polled  ox  had,  in  the  meantime,  shifted  hi§ 
saddle  to  one  of  the  carriage-horses,  and  kindly  offered 
the  steer  to  the  "  colonel."  One  who  had  come  on  foot 
had  already  mounted  the  other  horse.  The  driver  per- 
formed a  last  service  for  his  master,  now  pale,  tearful, 
and  trembling  at  the  insults  and  atrocities  he  was  called 
on  to  undergo,  by  spreading  one  of  the  carriage  cushions 
over  the  animaFs  back,  and  helping  the  queerly-habited 
potentate  to  mount  his  insignificant  steed.  It  was  better 
than  marching  through  the  hot  sand  on  foot,  however. 

When  they  reached  the  little  hamlet  which  had  grown 
up  around  his  collection  of  turpentine  distilleries,  they 
saw  a  strange  sight.  The  road  which  bore  still  Southward, 
was  full  of  blue-coated  soldiers,  who  marched  along  with 
the  peculiar  swinging  gait  wliich  marked  the  army  that 
"  went  down  to  the  sea."  Beyond  the  low  bridge,  under 
a  clump  of  pines  which  had  been  spared  for  shade,  stood 
a  group  of  horsemen,  one  of  whom  read  a  slip  of  paper, 
or  rather  shouted  its  contents  to  the  soldiery  as  they  passed, 
while  he  flourished  the  paper  above  his  head.  Instantly 
the  column  was  in  an  uproar.  Caps  were  thrown  into  the 
air  ;  voices  grew  hoarse  with  shouting ;  frantic  gesticula- 
tion, tearfid  eyes  and  laughter,  yells,  insane  antics,  queer 
combinations  of  sacriligious  oaths  and  absurd  embraces, 
were  every^vhere  to  be  seen  and  heard. 

"  Who  is  that  ?  "  asked  Desmit  of  the  Irishman,  near 


346  A  BOKKOWED   PICTUKE. 

whom  he  had  kept,  pointing  to  the  leading  figure  of  the 
group. 

"Faith,  kurnel,  that  is  Gineral .     Would  ye  like 

an  introduction,  kurnel  ?  " 

"  Yes,  yes,"  said  Desmit,  impatiently. 

"Thin  come  wid  me.  Sure  Til  give  ye  one,  an  tell 
him  ye  sent  him  a  dhrink  of  auld  peach  to  celebrate  the 
^ood  news  with.     Come  along,  thin  ! " 

Just  as  they  stepped  upon  the  bridge,  Desmit  heard  a 
lank  hoosier  ask : 

"  What's  in  them  bar'ls  ? '' 

And  some  one  answered  : 

"  Turpentine." 

"  Hooray  ! "  said  the  first,  "  a  bonfire  ! " 

"  Hurry !  hurry  ! "  Desmit  cried  to  his  guide. 

"  Come  on  thin,  auld  gintleman.  If  s  meself  that'll 
not  go  back  on  a  man  that  fui'nishes  a  good  dhram  for  so 
joyful  an  occasion." 

They  dismounted,  and,  pressing  their  way  through  the 
surging  mass  on  the  bridge,  approached  the  group  under 
the  pines. 

"  Gineral,"  said  the  Irishman,  taking  ofi*  the  silk  hat, 
which  Desmit  had  worn  and  waving  it  in  the  air ;  gineral, 
I  have  the  honor  to  introduce  to  ye  an  auld  gintleman — 
one  of  the  vera  fust  families — that's  come  out  to  mate  ye, 
an'  begs  that  ye'll  taste  just  a  dhrap  av  the  finest  auld 
pache  that  i\^^er  ran  over  yer  tongue,  jist  to  cilebrate  this 
vera  joyful  occasion." 

He  waved  his  hat  toward  Desmit,  and  handed  up  the 
canteen  at  once.  The  act  was  full  of  the  audacity  of  his 
race,  but  the  news  had  overthrown  all  sense  of  discipline. 
The  officer  even  lifted  the  canteen  to  his  lips,  and  no 
doubt  finding  Pat's  assertion,  as  to  its  quality  to  be  true, 


"JOHN   BKOWN^S  DISCIPLES."  347 

allowed  a  reasonable  quantity  of  its  aromatic  contents  to 
glide  down  his  throat,  and  then  handed  it  to  one  of  his 
companions. 

"  General !  General ! "  shrieked  Desmit  in  desperation, 
as  he  rushed  forward. 

"  What  do  you  want,  sir  ?  "  said  the  officer,  sternly. 

There  was  a  rush,  a  crackle,  and  a  still  louder  shout. 

Both  turned  and  saw  a  tongue  of  red  flame  with  black, 
sooty  tip,  leap  suddenly  skyward.  The  great  mass  of 
naval  stores  was  fired,  and  no  power  on  earth  could  save 
a  barrel  of  them.  Desmit  staggered  to  the  nearest  tree, 
and  faint  and  trembling,  watched  the  flame.  How  it 
raged  !  How  the  barrels  burst  and  the  liquid  flame 
poured  over  the  ground,  and  into  the  river !  Still  it 
burned !  The  whole  earth  seemed  aflame  !  How  the 
black  billows  of  heavy  smoke  poured  upward  hiding  the 
day  ?  The  wind  shifted  and  swept  the  smoke-wave  over 
above  the  crowding,  hustling,  shouting  column.  It  began 
to  rain,  but  under  the  mass  of  heavy  smoke  the  group  of 
pines  stood  dry. 

And  still,  out  of  the  two  openings  in  the  dark  pines, 
upon  the  other  side  of  the  stream^  poured  the  two  blue- 
clad,  steel-crowned  columns !  Still  the  staff  officer  shouted 
the  glad  tidings  :  "  Lee — surrendered — unconditioncdly  !  " 
[A^eracious  dispatch !]  Still  waved  aloft  the  dispatch ! 
Still  the  boundless  forests  rang  with  shouts !  Still  the 
fierce  flame  raged,  and  from  the  column  which  had  gone 
into  the  forest  beyond  came  back  the  solemn  chant,  which 
sounded  at  that  moment  like  the  fateful  voice  of  an 
avenging  angel : 

"  John  Brown's  body  lies  a-moiildering  in  the  grave ; 
His  soul  is  marching  on ! " 

One  who  looked  upon  the  scene,  thinks  of  it  always. 


348  A   BOEROWED   PICTURE. 

when  he  reads  of  the  last,  great  day — the  boundless 
flame ;  the  fervent  heat ;  the  shouts ;  the  thousands, 
like  the  sands  of  the  sea ;  all  are  not  to  be  forgotten,  until 
the  likeness  merges  into  the  dread  reality  !  '^ 


True  !  Candid  !  Graphic  !  John  Brown's  spirit,  if 
not  his  alleged  "  souy^  was  marching  on !  It  is  still 
marching  !  Will  it  ever  halt  ?  Never  !  Not  while  there 
is  within  the  boundaries  of  the  United  States  a  people  who 
dare  to  laugh  at  sanctimonious  fraud,  heathenish  Chris- 
tianity, and  the  modest  pretensions  of  the  world's  con- 
science-keepers !  Or,  not  until,  for  the  spirit  of  New  Eng- 
land Puritanism,  the  above  graphically  described  "  likeness 
merges  into  the  dread  reality  ! " 

Perhaps  the  picture  given  would  be  improved  by  the 
delicate  shading  of  an  official  dispatch.  We  give  a  few 
touches  from  one  sent  by  the  gallant  general,  who  com- 
manded that  gallant  army,  to  the  head  of  the  government : 

"  We  have  consumed  the  corn  and  fodder  in  the  region 
of  country,  thirty  miles  on  either  side  of  a  line  from 
Atlanta  to  Savannah,  as  also  the  sweet-potatoes,  cattle, 
hogs,  sheep  and  poultry ;  and  have  carried  away  more 
than  ten  thousand  horses  and  mules,  as  well  as  a  countless 
number  of  their  slaves.  I  estimate  the  damage  done  to 
the  state  of  Georgia,  and  its  military  resources,  at  one 
hundred  millions  of  dollars.  At  least  twenty  millions  of 
which  has  inured  to  our  advantage,  and  the  remainder  is 
simple  waste  aud  destruction." 

One  more  touch— this  time  from  a  public  speech  deliv- 
ered by  the  same  gallant  general,  at  a  soldier's  festival  in 
the  state  of  Ohio — and  the  picture  will  be  a  chef-d'oeuvre^ 
fit  to  adorn  the  mud  palace  of  the  "  King  of  the  Cannibal 
Islands."     Said  General  Sherman  i 


"what  the  rebels  lost.^'  351 

"  They  [the  rebels]  lost  their  slaves,  their  mules,  their 
horses,  their  cotton,  their  all ;  and  even  their  lives  and 
personal  liberty,  thrown  by  them  into  the  issue,  were  theirs 
only  by  our  forbearance  and  clemency.  So,  soldiers,  when 
we  marched  through  and  conquered  the  country  of  the 
rebels,  we  became  owners  of  all  they  had ;  and  I  don't 
want  you  to  be  troubled  in  your  consciences  for  taking, 
while  on  our  great  march,  the  property  of  the  conquered 
rebels.  They  forfeited  their  rights  to  it,  and  I,  being 
agent  for  the  government  to  which  I  belonged,  gave  you 
authority  to  keep  all  the  quartermasters  couldn't  take 
possession  of,  or  didn't  want." 

How  kindly  considerate  was  the  gallant  general  of  the 
tender  consciences  of  his  gentle  bummers  !  He  knew  they 
had  hundreds  of  pianos,  carpets,  etc. ;  tons  of  solid  silver- 
ware ;  silks,  satins  and  laces,  watches,  jewelry  and  jewels, 
without  end ;  but  they  had  committed  no  wrong  in  getting 
possession  of  this  property,  and  the  only  fault  they  could 
now  commit  would  be  to  return  the  goods  to  their  so-called 
owners.     We  can  fancy  him  saying  : 

"  Go  and  join  the  church,  gallant  bummer  !  What  if 
you  did  knock  down  tottering  age  and  capture  gold 
watches  and  gold-rimmed  spectacles  !  What  if  your 
parlor  funiture,  table  ware  and  wife's  finery,  was  once 
claimed  by  rebels  !  What  if,  in  your  merry  moods,  you 
did  seize  helpless  women  by  the  hair,  and  tear  gold  and 
jewels  from  their  bleeding  ears  !  Were  not  these  things 
thrown  into  the  wager  of  Avar,  and  did  you  not  march 
down  to  the  sea,  and  in  marching,  conquer  !  Go  join  the 
church,  and  when  you  come  to  make  your  last  grand 
march  down  to  the  sea  of  eternity,  if  Saint  Peter  will  not 
respect  your  countersign,  refer  him  to  ME  ! " 

We  could  saunter  along  through  the  ^-reconstruction 


352 


A  BORKOWED   PICTUEE. 


period/^  and  get  additional  fine  touches,  but  the  picture  is 
sufficiently  vivid.  Let  us  turn  its  face  to  the  wall  and 
pray  that  the  civilization  of  the  nineteenth  century  may 
never  look  upon  its  like  again  ! 

Note. — The  extract  of  military  exploits  giyen  in  this  chapter  is  from 
"Bricks  Without  Straw"— pages  90-100. 


A  Future  Politician. 


A 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Prison  Life  akd  Amusements. 

"  I  loved  fair  Hope,  and  she  is  fled  ; 
There  lies  her  grave  ; — I  would  I  too  were  dead." 

— Edward  S.  Gregory. 

"  Like  one  within  a  charnd, 
I  hear  but  dirges  ringing  for  the  dead — 
Walk  all  the  time  with  hand  in  hand  of  Death" 

— Mrs.  E.  Oakes  Smith. 

T  the  time  that  the  merry  bummers  were  playing 
their  amusing  little  jokes  upon  Colonel  Desmit,  whose 
mind  at  the  moment,  despite  his  sore  trials,  reverted,  no 
doubt,  to  what  General  Xeal  Dow  had  spoken,  and  the 
New  York  Times^  of  January  6th,  had  also  said  of  those 
of  them  who  were  new  recruits,  that  they  Vere  ^Svretched 
vagabonds,  of  depraved  morals,  decrepit  in  body,  without 
courage,  self-respect  or  conscience — dirty,  disorderly, 
thievish  and  incapable,"  Mr.  Stewart,  in  his  prison  home 
at  Johnson's  Island,  was  reading  a  letter  from  General 
Conrad,  which  Dick  had  brought  that  morning  with  the 
usual  forty  dollars  for  the  young  master's  use  in  purchas- 
ing necessary  food  and  comforts  for  the  ensuing  month. 
This  amount  Dick  solemnly  declared,  as  usual,  was  but 
little  more  than  half  his  earnings,  as  "  Chief  Clerk  to  the 
Sutler  of  General  Conrad's  Brigade." 

Ah,  those  precious  dollars !  They  represented  twenty 
pounds  of  tea,  fifty  pounds  of  sugar,  and  one  hundred  and 
fifty  pounds  of  good  bread  or  crackers,  for  those  of  three 

353 


354  PEISON   LIFE  AND  AMUSEMENTS. 

thousand  emaciated  prisoners,  whose  stomachs  could  not, 
without  aid,  take  the  scant  three-fourths  ration  of  salt 
pork  or  fish,  and  musty  corn-meal  or  "  hard  tack,"  with 
a  semi-quarterly  onion  or  potato  to  mitigate  the  scurvy. 

The  letter  filled  the  young  man  with  the  deepest  gloom. 
It  foretold  the  downfall  of  the  cause  which  was  dearer  to 
him  than  life,  and  made  him  feel  that  he  had  rather  spend 
his  days  within  his  present  prison  bounds,  surrounded  by 
all  his  present  miseries,  than  to  walk  forth  a  free  man  and 
be  forced  to  behold  the  heart-crushed  agony  of  his  people, 
and  the  impertinent  insolence  of  those  craven  spirits  which 
he  well  knew  would  now  rush  to  the  South,  or  send  proxies, 
and  which  had  forced  secession  that  they  might  work  their 
will  upon  his  unhappy  land. 

In  the  deep  grief  of  his  soul,  he  hardly  noticed  the  fact 
that  General  Conrad  spoke  of  Miss  Seymour  as  having 
come  into  possession  of  a  handsome  fortune,  and  gave  the 
information  that  she  had  not  replied  to  one  of  his  letters, 
nor  had  he  seen  her  or  heard  directly  from  her,  since  the 
battle  of  Gettysburg. 

During  the  first  year  of  his  imprisonment,  the  young 
man  had,  month  after  mouth,  expected  to  hear  from  her, 
even  if  she  should  not  visit  him.  And  he  had  looked 
and  hoped  in  vain,  till  he  finally  came  to  the  conclusion, 
as  there  could  be  nothing  to  prevent  her  writing  to  him 
if  disposed  to  do  so,  that,  in  his  last  interview  with  Dr. 
Hansel,  the  old  man  had  spoken  more  truth  than  he  gave 
him  credit  for  at  the  time. 

He  was  convinced  of  this  one  day,  when  he  accidentally 
overheard  a  subordinate  officer  joking  Colonel  Stoughton, 
the  commandant  of  the  prison. 

"Colonel,"  said  the  young  man,  "  I  see  from  the  papers 
that  Florence  Seymour  has  been  left  a  large  fortune  by  a 


"abject  grief."  355 

relative  of  hers.  As  she  got  so  badly  ^  mashed '  on  you 
at  the  church  festival  we  attended  in  Boston,  perhaps,  now 
that  she  has  plenty  of  ^  tin/  you  will  not  mind  playing 
*  mashed  ^  yourself 

"  Well,  no,"  replied  the  officer.  "  I  w^as  attentive  to 
her  chiefly  to  please  that  old  fossil  relative  of  mine,  her 
step-father,  and  had  no  idea  of  making  a  conquest — she 
Is  too  slow.  Yet,  if  she  has  over  a  hundred  thousand,  I'll 
take  her.  But  I'm  determined  never  to  sell  out  for  less 
than  a  cool  ^  C '  in  the  thousands." 

When  Mr.  Stewart  heard  this  ungallant  reply,  he  felt 
like  springing  through  the  window  and  seizing  the  stal- 
wart dandy  by  the  throat ;  but  long  months  had  passed 
since  then,  and  now  that  he  knew  the  life  of  the  Confed- 
eracy was  drawing  rapidly  to  a  close,  the  very  gall  of  bit- 
terness welled  up  in  his  soul ;  and,  as  his  thoughts  reverted 
to  the  past,  he  clinched  his  hands,  and  with  the  lines  of  a 
death  agony  on  his  features,  he  vowed  in  his  heart  that  he 
hated  Florence  Seymour  and  everything  that  had  a  drop 
of  Puritan  blood  in  its  veins ;  and  more  than  that,  he 
hated  Frank  Conrad,  the  pretended  friend,  who  had 
officiously  rescued  him  from  death ;  for  while  he  had  no 
Puritan  blood  in  his  veins,  he  w^as  worse — with  the  in- 
stincts and  spirit  of  a  Cavalier,  he  was  a  Puritan  tool ! 

Alas  !  what  bitter  feelings  may  not  a  combined  sense  of 
wrong,  and  injustice,  and  abject  grief  over  the  corpse  of  dead 
hope,  cause  in  the  most  noble  and  generous  of  bosoms !  But 
the  young  man  was  enough  of  a  philosopher  to  recover  from 
this  weak  yielding  to  the  flood  of  agonized  feeling,  which, 
for  the  time,  swept  all  before  it.  He  recognized  the  fact 
that  the  future  had  to  be  met,  that  there  were  duties 
yet  to  be  performed,  that  though  conquered  and  crushed 
his  people  yet  lived ;   and  thousands  upon  untold  thou- 


S56  PEISON   LIFE   AND   AI^IUSEMENTS. 

sands  of  them  were  women  and  children,  with  no  living 
natural  protector.  Should  he,  who  had  aspired  to  feel  in 
its  full  force,  and  to  square  his  actions  by  the  noble  maxim 
of  the  noble  Lee,  that  '^  ^duty  ^  is  the  sublimest  word  in 
the  language,'^  now  show  the  craven  spirit  of  a  skulker, 
and  pine  away  with  grief  like  a  poor,  deserted  love-sick 
maiden  ?  No ;  never  !  He  would  discharge  his  duty  ! 
But  what  was  his  duty  ?  What  was  going  to  be  the  new 
condition  of  aifairs  in  the  country  ?  He  had  lost  faith  in 
that  high  civilization  which  he  once  assured  Miss  Sey- 
mour her  people  were  possessed  of.  True,  he  knew,  as 
well  as  when  the  assurance  was  made,  that  the  high  degree 
of  civilization  was  there  in  the  breasts  of  many,  but  in 
most  of  them,  it  was,  for  the  time,  crushed  under  the  heel 
of  power,  and  in  those  in  power  it  was  held  in  abeyance,  or 
subordinated  to  the  mania  with  which  Puritan  fanaticism 
had  succeeded  in  inoculating  all  but  a  very  few.  How 
long  before  mad  passion  would  suffer  the  ^^still  small 
voice  ^^  of  that  civilization  to  be  heard  in  its  full  force  ? 
Ah !  how  many  weary,  dreary  years  ?  The  young  man 
felt  that  long  years  must  intervene  first,  but,  even  in  his 
deepest  despondency,  he  did  not  believe  that  afler  two 
decades — after  two-thirds  of  a  generation  had  passed — the 
question  would  still  remain  unanswered. 

As  he  could,  for  the  present,  do  nothing  but  nurse  his 
grief  and  indulge  in  speculations,  he  sought  his  scrap- 
book,  that  he  might  compare,  from  it,  the  feelings  and 
sentiments  of  the  two  peoples,  and  be  enabled  to  draw  a 
conjectural  horoscope  of  the  future,  when  the  proud  and 
independent,  but  conservjative,  spirit  of  the  South  should 
be  subjected  to  the  unrestrained  domination  of  Puritan 
fanaticism.  He  was  at  a  loss  to  imagine  to  what  length 
the  latter  might  be  prompted  to  go,  and  how  far  the 


"  FORECASTES^G   THE    FUTURE."  357 

former  could  probably  yield  before  being  driven  to  cast 
away  hope,  and  surrender  to  the  mad  dictate  of  despera- 
tion. Feeling  under  his  shuck  mattress,  which,  with  the 
white  blankets  and  sheets,  had  cost  him  more  than  would 
have  sufficed,  in  times  of  peace  and  in  his  own  land,  to 
purchase  a  bed  of  eider-down,  he  drew  forth  his  prison- 
manufactured  scrap-book,  and  divesting  himself,  as  far  a»s 
possible,  of  his  settled  convictions,  and  making  himself  an 
unbiased  judge  and  critic,  he  found  his  hopes  and  spirits 
rise  and  fall,  like  a  thermometer  being  alternately 
subjected  to  the  mild  May  atmosphere  of  his  beautiful 
land,  and  the  December  blizzards  of  the  cold  North,  as  he 
read  first  from  a  Southern  writer,  and  then  from  one  of 
the  North. 

Among  the  first  of  the  former,  he  read  a  letter  which 
had  been  written  by  Captain  Flournoy  to  the  Barrensville 
Herald,  in  which  the  following  sentence  occurred  with 
reference  to  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  : 

"  Among  the  Federal  dead  we  found  poor  Kellogg,  who 

used  to  be  a  book-keeper  for  Messrs.  &  , 

of  Huntsville.  I  had  believed  he  would  remain  neutral 
in  this  struggle  despite  his  New  England  birth,  for  I  did 
not  think  a  fellow,  apparently  so  amiable  and  sensible, 
could  live  eight  months  in  the  South  without  losing  the 
prejudice,  which  is  taught  in  the  Sabbath,  as  well  as  the 
day  schools  of  that  section,"^  and  becoming  our  friend. 

*In  the  year  1868,  a  government  officer,  stationed  at  Minden,  Louis- 
iana, a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  intelligence,  told  the  writer  that, 
before  he  had  mingled  with  Southern  people,  he  was  one  of  their 
most  violent  haters  ever  produced  in  his  state — Connecticut.  Being 
naturally  of  a  nervous-sanguine  temperament,  he  was  often  excited, 
m  childhood,  by  seeing,  at  the  doors  of  stores  and  family  groceries, 
such  signs  as  "  no  sugar  sold  here  that  is  stained  by  the  blood  of  the 
slave ! "  etc.     He  said  that  often  the  little  talks  of  his  Sabbath- school 


358  PRISON   LIFE   AND   AMUSEMENTS. 

Perhaps  he  did  feel  the  friendship  which  he  professed, ' 
and  was  prompted  only  by  what  he  considered  his  duty 
to  his  mother-land.  Many  Yankees  really  believe  the 
permanent  cutting  off  of  the  South  will  rum  their  section. 
Many  of  our  people  believe  the  same  thing,  and  it  may 
be  that  Kellogg  imbibed  that  idea.  If  so,  no  honest  man 
in  the  South,  will  censure  him  for  his  hostility  to  our 
purposes.  We  are  striving  for  the  best  interests  of  our 
people ;  he  certainly  had  a  right,  if  it  was  not  his  duty, 
to  do  the  same  for  his ;  and  his  personal  friends  at  Hunts- 
ville  and  Barrensville  may  consistently  drop  a  tear  to  his 
memory.  We  buried  him  decently,  and  his  former 
friends  in  my  company  fired  a  salute  over  his  grave." 

As  the  young  man  read  this  letter,  his  thermopsycho- 
meter  rose  to  "  sixty  degrees  in  the  shade,"  and  he  turned 
to  a  letter  written  to  the  Cincinnati  Convmerciolj  by  a  staff 
correspondent,  who  had  been  a  friend  of  the  talented  and 
gallant  Confederate  General  Zollicoffer,  giving  an  account 
of  his  death.     He  read  : 

"  The  corpse  lay  by  the  side  of  the  road  along  which 
we  passed,  and  all  had  a  fair  view  of  what  was  once  Zolli- 
coffer. I  saw  the  lifeless  body  as  it  lay  in  a  fence-corner 
by  the  side  of  the  road,  but  Zollicoffer  himself  is  now  in 
hell.  Hell  is  a  fitting  abode  for  all  such  arch-traitors. 
May  all  the  other  chief  conspirators  in  this  rebellion  soon 
share  Zollicoffer's  fate — shot  dead  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  an  avenging  God,*  their  spirits  sent  straight- 
teacher — a  beautiful  amiable  lady — would  so  excite  bim,  that  on  his 
way  home,  he  would,  in  a  tearful  phrenzy  of  indignation,  take  out  his 
little  pocket-knife,  and  wish  that  he  could  meet  a  slave-holder,  that  he 
might  kill  him  and  cut  out  his  heart,  and  commit  other  barbarities 
upon  his  despised  person. 

*  The  divine  instrumentality  was  evinced  thus :  Zollicoffer  mistook 
a  Federal  regiment  for  one  of  his  own,  and  riding  up  to  it,  gave  an 


"CHRISTIANITY    VERSUS  FANATICISM."  359 

way  to  hell,  and  their  lifeless  bodies  lie  in  a  fence-corner, 
their  faces  spattered  -^dth  mud,  and  their  garments  divided 
up ;  and  even  the  hair  of  their  head  cut  off  and  pulled  out, 
by  an  unsympathizing  soldiery  of  a  conquering  army, 
battling  for  the  right." 

Ah  !  this  letter  caused  the  mercury  to  fall  to  the 
freezing  point ;  and  the  young  man  quickly  turned  a  leaf, 
and  read  an  extract  from  an  address  by  Bishop  Meade, 
of  Virginia,  to  his  church  : 

"There  is  a  strong  and  general  desire,  I  believe,  to 
retain  as  much  as  possible  of  our  past  happy  intercourse, 
with  those  from  whom  we  shall  be  more  divided  in  other 
things.  A  meeting  is  already  proposed  for  this  purpose 
in  one  of  the  seceded  states,  whose  plans,  so  far  as  devel- 
oped, I  will  submit  to  the  consideration  of  this  body  at 
its  present  session. 

"  I  cannot  conclude,  without  expressing  the  earnest  desire 
that  the  ministers  and  members  of  our  church,  and  all  the 
citizens  of  our  state,  who  are  so  deeply  interested  in  the 
present  contest,  may  conduct  it  in  the  most  elevated  and 
Christian  spirit,  rising  above  unworthy  and  uncharitable 
imputations  on  all  who  are  opposed.  Many  there  are,  on 
both  sides,  equally  sincere,  as  there  ever  have  been  in  all 
the  wars  and  controversies  that  have  been  waged  upon 
earth ;  though  it  does  not  follow  that  all  have  the  same 
grounds  of  justice  and  truth  on  which  to  base  their 
warfare." 

order.  Instead  of  being  made  a  prisoner,  lie  was  shot  down,  and  killed. 
The  complaisant  piety  of  this  literary  savage  reminds  one  of  a  stanza, 
in  Whittier's  description  of  the  execution  of  a  Salem  witch,  who 
"  killed  a  cow,  or  witched  a  chum  or  dairy-pan : " 

"  They  went  up  to  their  homes  tliat  day, 
As  men  and  Christians  justified : 
Grod  willed  it,  and  the  wretch  had  died  I " 

22 


360  PRISON    LIFE   AND   AMUSEMENTS. 

This  extract  caused  the  mercury  to  rise  again,  this  time 
to  summer  heat,  and  the  young  man  turned  to  another 
ecclesiastical  contribution — that  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Tyng,  a 
celebrated  New  York  divine,  whose  address  had  been 
condensed  by  the  papers  : 

^^  He  would  not  meet  pirates  upon  the  deck,  and  call  it 
warfare.  He  would  hang  them  as  quick  as  he  would 
shoot  a  mad  dog.  [Cheers.]  There  was  but  one  road  to 
peace,  and  that  ^xsiS  absolute  and  entire  subjection. 
[Cheers.]  The  sword  of  justice  was  the  only  pen  that 
could  write  the  final  treaty.  Referring  to  the  troops,  he 
asked  :  Who  ever  saw  such  an  army  as  has  been  gathered 
in  our  land  ?  He  would  not  except  the  '  rare  birds '  of 
Billy  Wilson's  regiment.  He  might  venture  to  say  of 
them,  that  their  salvation  might  be  in  the  very  consecra- 
tion they  have  made  of  themselves  to  their  country. 
[Cheers.]  Thousands  of  Bibles  had  been  given  to  the 
troops,  who  go  to  fight  for  their  country.  Did  anybody 
believe  there  were  five  hundred  copies  in  the  army  of 
renegades  who  are  meeting  them  in  the  contest  ?  It  would 
scald  and  singe  their  polluted  hands.  [Cheers.]  We  have 
every  cause  to  be  proud  of  our  army.  They  are  worthy 
of  the  Bible ;  their  names  will  glisten  in  glory !    [Cheers.]  '^ 

This  extract  caused  the  mercury  to  fall  to  zero,  but  the 
young  man  still  continued  to  read  from  that  side  of  his 
scrap-book.  The  next  was  a  letter  published  in  the  New 
York  Heraldj  from  its  correspondent  with  Sherman's 
army : 

"  Any  man  who  has  seen  the  object  that  the  name 
'  bummer '  applies  to  will  acknowledge  that  it  was 
admirably  selected.  Fancy  a  man  blackened  by  the  smoke 
of  many  a  pine-knot  fire  mounted  on  a  scraggy  mule,  wdth 
a  gun,  a  knapsack,  a  butcher  knife,  and  a  plug  hat,  making 


"Sherman's  gentle  bummers."  361 

his  way  through  the  pine  forests,  keen  on  the  scent  of  bacon 
or  silver  spoons,  or  anything  valuable,  and  you  have  him  in 
your  mind.  Think  how  you  Avould  like  him,  if  you  were  a 
lone  woman,  with  a  family  of  small  children,  far  from 
help,  when  he  blandly  inquired  where  you  keep  your  valu- 
ables. Think  how  you  would  smile  when  he  pried  open 
your  chests  with  his  bayonet,  or  knocked  to  pieces  your 
tables,  pianos  and  chairs,  tore  your  bed-clothing  in  three- 
inch  strips,  and  scattered  them  about  the  yard.  Color  is 
no  protection  from  these  rough-riders.  They  go  through 
a  negro  cabin  in  search  of  diamonds  and  gold  watches 
with  just  as  much  freedom  and  vivacity  as  they  '  loot '  the 
dwelling  of  a  wealthy  planter.  "^  They  appear  to  be  pos- 
sessed of  a  spirit  of  '  pure  cussedness.'  One  incident  of 
many  will  illustrate :  A  bummer  stepped  into  a  house 
and  asked  for  sorghum.  The  lady  gave  him  the  jug, 
which  he  said  was  too  heavy,  so  he  merely  filled  his  can- 
teen. Then  taking  a  huge  wad  of  tobacco  from  his  mouth, 
he  thrust  it  into  the  jug.  The  lady  inquired,  in  wonder, 
why  he  spoiled  what  he  left  her.  ^  Oh,  some  feller  '11 
come  along  and  taste  that  sorghum,  and  think  you've 
poisoned  him;  then  he'll  burn  your  d — d  old  house.' 
There  are  hundreds  of  these  mounted  men,  and  they  go 
everywhere.  Some  of  them  are  loaded  do^vn  with  silver- 
ware, gold  coin,  and  other  valuables.  I  hazard  nothing 
in  saying  three-fifths,  in  value,  of  the  property  in  the 
counties  we  have  passed  through  were  taken  by  Sherman's 
army." 

*It  was  the  case  all  over  the  South  that  silver  and  jewelry,  when  not 
buried,  were,  on  the  approach  of  a  Federal  force,  given  to  the  negroes, 
to  be  taken  care  of,  as  thev  were  rarelv  robbed.  Not  one  in  ten  thou- 
sand  betrayed  these  trusts,  but  Sherman's  lambs  seemed  to  have  found 
out  the  trick. 


362  PRISON   LIFE   AND   AMUSEMENTS. 

Of  the  sack   and   destruction   of  Columbia,   he  read 
extracts  taken  from  the  Richmond  papers : 

"Sherman  deliberately  lied  to  Mayor  Goodwyn.  He 
counselled  him  to  go  and  take  needed  rest,  saying  :  ^  Not . 
a  finger's  breadth,  Mr.  Mayor,  of  your  city  shall  be 
harmed.  You  may  lie  down  and  sleep,  satisfied  that  your 
town  shall  be  as  safe  in  my  hands  as  if  wholly  in  your 
own.'  With  this  assurance,  the  mayor  retired.  In  less 
than  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  three  rockets  were  shot  up 
from  the  capitol  square.  The  mayor  heard  a  soldier  ex- 
claim :  '  The  town  is  to  be  fired  !  That  is  the  signal ! ' 
And  in  a  few  minutes  the  city  was  on  fire  in  over  twenty 
distinct  quarters.  Engines  and  hose  were  brought  out  by 
the  firemen,  but  these  were  driven  from  their  labors  by  the 
fierce  hostility  of  the  soldiers;  the  hose  was  hewn  to 
pieces,  and  the  firemen,  fearing  worse  treatment  for  them- 
selves, left  the  flames  to  do  their  work ;  and  what  could 
they  hope  to  accomplish  against  such  a  sea  of  fire.  To  a 
gentleman,  who  expressed  his  horror  of  such  vandalism,  a 
Federal  soldier,  laughingly,  said  :  '  Oh,  this  is  nothing  ! 
Wait  till  to-night  and  you  '11  see  hell ! '  And  night 
brought  hell  if  ever  there  was  hell  upon  earth.  But  the 
sacking  and  looting  began  long  before  night.  As  the 
rockets  were  the  signal  for  the  fire,  so  the  fire  seemed  to 
be  the  signal  for  the  plundering  and  other  villainy.  Soon 
almost  very  house  in  town  was  visited  by  parties  of  from 
two  to  six.  The  first  intimation  of  their  presence  would 
often  be  a  pistol  clapped  to  the  head  or  breast  of  the  owner, 
whether  male  or  female. 

"  ^  Your  Avatch  !  Your  money  ! '  was  the  demand. 
Ej-equently  no  demand  would  be  made.  Rarely,  indeed, 
-v^as  a  word  spoken  if  watch,  chain,  ring  or  bracelet  pre- 
sented itself  to  the  eye.     It  was  incontinently  plucked 


"punishing  'teeason.'"  363 

away.  The  slightest  show  of  resistance  provoked  violence 
to  the  person. 

"  The  venerable  Mr.  Alfred  Huger  was  robbed  in  the 
chamber  of  his  almost  dying  wife.  He  offered  resistance, 
and  was  collared  and  robbed  by  violence." 

*^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^u  ^u  ^u  ^^  ^^ 

^^  *f*  "X*  T*  **»  1*  «T*  ^*  ^^ 

"  The  venerable  Mr.  H stood  with  his  couteau  de 

chasse,  made  bare  in  his  bosom,  guarding  the  persons  of 
his  daughters. 

"  Mr.  O *     *     *     *  hside  the  man  stand  off  at  the 

peril  of  his  life ;  saying  that,  while  he  submitted  to  be 
robbed  of  property,  he  would  sacrifice  life,  without  stint, 
before  his  child's  honor  should  be  sacrificed.  Mr.  James 
G.  Gibbes,  with  difficulty,  pistol  in  hand,  and  then  only 
with  the  assistance  of  a  Yankee  officer,  rescued  two  young 
women  from  the  clutches  of  as  many  ruffians." 

*^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  *^  ^^  ^^  ^^ 

*^  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^^ 

"  Mrs.  A.  J was  but  recently  confined.  Her  condi- 
tion was  very  helpless.  The  men  were  apprised  of  all  the 
facts  in  the  case.  They  burst  into  the  chamber,  took  the 
rings  from  the  lady's  fingers,  plucked  the  watch  from  under 
her  pillow,  and  so  overwhelmed  her  with  terror  that  she 
sunk  under  the  treatment  and  survived  but  a  day  or  two." 

"  In  several  cases  newly-made  graves  were  opened,  the 
coffins  taken  out,  broken  open  in  search  of  buried  treasure, 
and  the  corpses  left  exposed.  Every  spot  in  graveyard 
or  garden,  which  seemed  to  have  been  recently  disturbed, 
W2ts  sounded  with  sword  or  bayonet  or  ramrod  in  the  des- 
perate search  after  spoil." 

^  -1*  SjC  5fC  3|C  2|C  S|C  3(C  «fC  SJC 

"  A  lady  spoke  indignantly  to  General  Atkins,  of  Sher- 
man's army,  and  said :    *  Sherman  wars  upon  women  ! ' 


364  PRISON   LIFE   AKD   AMUSEMENTS. 

"  ^  Yes/  replied  General  Atkins,  'and  justly.     It  is  the 

women  of  the  South  who  keep  up  this  cursed  rebellion. 

It  gave  us  the  greatest  satisfaction  to  see  those  proud 

Georgia  women  begging  crumbs  from  Yankee  leavings ; 

and   this   will   soon   be  the   fate   of   all   you   Carolina 

women.'  '^ 
********** 

"  An  officer,  helping  some  ladies  out  of  their  burning 
home,  was  addressed  by  one  of  them  : 

" '  How  as  men  and  Christians  you  can  behold  the  hor- 
rors of  this  scene,  and  the  suffering  of  innocent  people, 
without  terrible  pangs  of  self-condemnation  and  self- 
loathing,  it  is  difficult  to  conceive.' 

"  '  AYe  glory  in  it,'  was  the  answer.  '  I  tell  you,  madam, 
that  when  the  people  of  the  North  shall  hear  of  the  ven- 
geance we  have  meted  out  to  your  city,  there  will  be  one 
universal  shout  of  rejoicing  from  every  man,  woman  and 
child  from  Maine  to  Maryland. '  "  * 

•jC  S|C  3j»  5JC  jp  *f*  ^*  ^K  ^p  Jjt 

^'  One  who  had  been  impudent,  said  to  a  mother  who 
was  bearing  a  child  in  her  arms. 

" '  Let  me  carry  your  baby,  madam.' 

" '  Do  not  touch  him  for  your  life ! '  was  the  reply.  '  I 
would  sooner  hurl  him  into  the  flames  and  jump  in  after 
him  than  that  he  should  be  polluted  by  your  touch  ! ' 

"  '  Well,  that's  going  it  strong,  by  G — d  ;  but  I  like 
your  pluck.  You'll  see  us  coming  back  here  after  the 
war  to  get  Carolina  wives.  We  hate  your  men  like  hqll, 
but  we  love  your  women.' 

*This  Puritan  seemed  to  know  that  the  fiendish  joy  at  such  fiend's 
work  would  be  confined  chiefly  to  New  England ;  but  he  slandered 
even  those  people,  we  believe. 


"subduing  the  rebel  women."  365 

"  ^  We  prefer  your  hate,  even  though  it  come  in  the  form 
of  incendiarism  and  pillage/  replied  the  lady." 

"We  have  quite  an  amusing  story  of  a  luckless  wife, 
who  was  confronted  by  a  stalwart  soldier,  with  a  horrid 
oath  and  a  cocked  revolver  at  her  head. 

"^  Your  watch — your  money,  you  d — d  rebel  !^ 

"  The  horrid  oaths,  the  sudden  demand,  fierce  looks  and 
rapid  action,  so  terrified  the  lady  that  she  cried  out,  ^  Oh, 
my  G — d !  I  have  no  watch,  no  money,  nothing  but 
what's  tied  around  my  waist ! ' 

"  We  need  not  say  how  deftly  the  bowie-knife  was 
applied  to  loosen  the  stays  of  that  lady." 

^^w  ^^0  ^M^  ^^  ^^  %^  ^^  fcff*  ^^  ^^ 

^^*  ^^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^f^  ^^  ^j^  ^^  ^^ 

"  Why  should  General  Sherman  have  practiced  a  decep- 
tion upon  Mayor  Goodwyn?  The  answer  is  very 
obvious.  He  saw  when  the  honorable  gentleman 
demanded  'the  treatment  accorded  by  the  usages  of  civi- 
lized warfare'  that  it  really  was  a  demand,  and  not  a 
timid  supplication.  He  saw,  too,  that  the  mayor  was  a 
man  of  nerve  and  determination,  and  that  there  was  a 
gleam  of  cynical  recklessness  in  his  eyes.  True,  he  could 
have  ordered  him  to  be  seized  and  taken  away  by  the 
guards,  but  why  risk  a  personal  encounter  when  the 
expenditure  of  a  little  breath — the  shaping  of  one  inspira- 
tion of  his  lungs  into  words — would  make  all  fair,  and 
would  save  himself,  if  from  nothing  worse,  from  the 
charge  of  having  ordered  the  assassination  of  the  'impu- 
dent, reckless  fellow  ! ' " 

*^^  ^0  ^^  «^  ^^  ^i^  «^  ^^  ^t» 

^^  ^^  ^^  W^  ^^  *^  ^»  r^  ^» 

Long  before  the  young  man  finished  his  reading  the 
mercury  had  dropped  below  zero,  had  passed  the  "  bliz- 
zard "  point,  and  lay  congealed,  a  half  globe  of  silver  ice 


366  PRISON  LIFE  AND  AMUSEMENTS. 

in  the  bottom  of  the  bulb.  With  a  nervous  shudder 
convulsing  his  frame,  he  threw  the  book  from  him,  and, 
kneeling  upon  his  shuck  mattress,  looked  out  upon  the 
"campus,'^  where  he  could  see  hundreds  of  weak,  sickly, 
emaciated  men — officers,  the  cultured  and  refined  children 
of  wealth  and  luxury,  the  flower  of  as  gallant  an  army  as 
ever  struggled  to  beat  back  the  fierce  hordes  of  barbarism — 
some  basking  their  shrunken  forms  in  the  sun  against  a 
shed,  some  carding  out  their  matted  locks  with  the  "  bri- 
gade comb,"  some,  with  tin  cup  in  hand,  performing 
necessary  ablutions,  with  dirty  rags  for  bathing  towels, 
some  searching  their  garments  for  vermin,  some  reading 
greasy  Bibles  or  the  advertisements  in  old  papers,  some 
stealthily  and  tearfully  reading  for  the  ten-thousandth 
time  messages  of  love  from  worn  and  tattered  letters  that 
had  been  kept  for  years,  some  with  saliva  running  from 
their  mouths,  betokening  incipient  idiocy,  laughing  and 
gibbering  with  imaginary  companions,  some  gazing 
abstractedly  upward  at  the  passing  clouds,  some  with 
sticks,  stooping  low  and  industriously  marking  upon  the 
ground,  as  if  in  earnest  eifort  to  solve  the  problem  of  the 
future.  Ah  !  it  was  too  much  !  With  hot  tears  in  his 
eyes,  and  the  silver  ice  freezing  the  core  of  his  heart,  he 
sank  upon  his  bed,  and  in  agony,  exclaimed,  with  a  more 
renowned  patriot : 

"  Oh  God !     Is  there  no  hand  on  high  to  shield  the 
brave?" 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 
A  Lull  ln  the  Storm. 

"Get  thee  glass  eyes 
And,  like  a  scurvy  politician,  seem 
-To  see  the  things  thou  dost  not." — Shakspeake's  King  Leab. 

"  Cold  stars  cd)Ove,  around,  a  cheerless  world"      ' 

— E.  S.  Gregory's  Watch-Fire. 

"T)EACE  reigns,"  said  the  Puritan  press.     "Victory 
J-      has  perched  upon  our  banner  and  folded  her  wings  ; 
and  the  white  dove  of  peace,  blessed  peace,  broods  over  all 
the  land!" 

Peace  is  it — peace  pi^o  arts  et  fods  f  Ah  !  let  us  wait 
and  see !  Is  not  the  fell  spirit  which  has  given  us  no 
peace  for  more  than  a  generation  now  in  power?  Has 
that  spirit  the  magnanimity  to  show  more  consideration 
for  a  helpless  foe,  than  it  ever  showed  for  a  strong  and 
unoffending  brother?  Has  not  that  spirit  yet  to  revel, 
for  the  first  time,  in  the  sweets  of  unrestricted  power? 
Has  it  not  a  "  sacred  mission"  to  "  punish  rebellion  "  and 
"  make  treason  odious  "  ?  Have  not  the  knaves  errant  yet 
to  do  their  Fools'  Errands  ;  and  the  "  Bricks  "  with  and 
"Without  Straw,"  which  shall  be  thrown  off  from  the 
surplus  population  of  New  England,  yet  to  hold  carnivals 
of  rapine  and  villainy  in  the  prostrate,  suffering  South  ? 
Have  not  the  ruined  people  of  that  fair  land,  on  which 
Heaven  only  now  dares  to  smile,  yet  to  struggle  for  the 
preservation  of  their  civilization,  against  the  plots  and 

367 


368  A   LULL   IN   THE   STORM. 

machinations  of  New  England  Puritanism  and  African 
ignorance,  that  unnatural  partnership  of  the  wolf  and  the 
lamb,  that  incongruous  mixture  of  Jiitro-muriatic  acid  and 
the  "  gentle  dew'^  ?  Has  not  the  time  yet  to  come  when  a 
bishop  of  the  most  powerful  Church  in  Xew  England  is 
to  publish  to  his  Church,  and  to  the  world,  the  solemn 
conviction,  that  the  only  proper  "  civilizing  agents  "  to  be 
used  upon  the  white  people  of  the  South  are  cannon-balls, 
fire-brands  and  arsenic  ?  *  And  have  not  these  would-be 
"  civilizers  "  yet  to  have  their  hearts  fired  by  the  modest 
intimation  that  these  agents,  elements  and  suitable  emblems 
of  their  civilization,  w^ill  be  declined  with  thanks ;  and 
that  the  colliers  of  New  Castle  are  not  begging  the  freezing 
paupers  of  Kamtschatka  for  their  driftwood  fuel  ? 

Peace  ?  ah  !  Let  us  say  nothing  about  peace  at  present. 
The  brave  men  who  helped,  with  anns  in  their  hands,  to 
overpower  the  South,  have  offered  the  olive  branch,  and  it 
has  been  accepted.  There  is  peace  between  these ;  but 
the  warfare  of  the  cowards  and  skulkers  upon  their  help- 
less foes  is  just  begun  ! 

Some  months  have  elapsed  since  we  left  Mr.  Stewart  in 
prison,  with  his  bosom  being  torn  by  the  death-agony  of 
an  expiring  hope.  We  find  him  to-day,  a  rather  shabbily- 
dressed,  and  apparently  aimless  wanderer  along  Broadway, 
in  the  city  of  New  York.  He  went  there,  as  he  believed, 
for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  whereabouts  of  his 
friend,  General  Conrad.  He  had  learnt  from  the  papers 
that  his  friend's  firm,  Banks,  Conrad  &  Co.,  had  failed ; 
and  a  knowledge  of  this  had  aroused  his  inner  conscious- 
ness to  the  fact,  that  he  did  not  hate  Frank  Conrad,  but 

*  Bishop  Gilbert  Haven  published  that  sentiment;  and  there  is  no 
reason  to  doubt  that  it  was  endorsed  by  his  Church — the  Northern 
Methodist — in  Massachusetts, 


"at  the  opera."  369 

on  the  contrary,  that  his  sympathy  for  him  was  deep  and 
sincere.  As  for  Miss  Florence  Seymour,  she  had  not 
failed  ;  quite  the  reverse,  and  his  having  heard  in  prison, 
on  the  day  of  his  release,  that  Colonel  Stoughton  had 
gone  to  New  York  to  visit  her,  had  nothing,  of  course,  to 
do  with  his  own  desire  to  express,  viva  voce,  his  sympathy 
for  his  friend  in  his  financial  troubles.  But  he  had  found 
that  none  of  the  firm  of  Banks,  Conrad  &  Co.  were  in  the 
city.  They  had  closed  their  business  there,  and  were  in 
Boston,  looking  after  some  of  the  affairs  of  the  house  in 
that  city. 

The  young  man  had  heard  nothing  of  Dr.  Hansel  or 
his  step-daughter,  and  as  Dick's  dollars  in  his  pockets 
were  growing  scarce,  he  had  just  determined  to  leave  the 
next  morning  after  having  heard  a  favorite  opera,  which 
was  advertised  to  be  given  that  night  by  a  celebrated  troupe. 

After  tea  he  went  around  to  the  opera  house  and,  having 
sent  Dick  to  the  gallery,  was  standing  in  the  vestibule 
talking  to  a  stranger,  as  the  crowds  passed  in,  when  he 
was  rudely  and  unnecessarily  jostled  by  a  gentleman  in 
his  rear  whom,  on  turning  around,  he  found  to  be  no  less 
a  personage  than  Colonel  Stoughton,  the  ogre  of  the  prison 
from  which  he  had  been  released.  The  officer  was  chat- 
ting merrily  with  a  lady  who  was  under  the  escort  of 
another  gentleman,  and  the  young  man,  stepping  aside  and 
bomng  low,  exclaimed  : 

"  I  beg  the  lady's  pardon.  Colonel  Stoughton  !" 

"  Ha  !  It  is  well,  sir  !  all  right ! "  replied  the  officer, 
with  a  supercilious  stare. 

"  But  understand  me,  sir ;  only  the  lady's ! "  said  the 
young  man,  growing  pale  around  the  lips. 

"  Eh  ?  What  do  you  mean  by  that,  sir  ? ''  asked  the 
officer,  angrily,  half  turning  his  head. 


370  A   LULL   IN   THE  STORM. 

"I  will  explain  later,"  replied  the  young  man,  again 
bowing,  "  and  shall  await  you  here,  sir/' 

The  officer  passed  on  without  replying,  but  made  a 
remark  to  the  lady,  which  was  drowned  in  the  noise  of 
the  crowd,  but  at  which  he  himself  laughed  quite  boister- 
ously. Mr.  Stewart  promenaded  the  vestibule  until  the 
curtain  had  gone  down  on  the  first  scene  of  the  opera 
and,  as  Colonel  Stoughton  had  not  then  appeared,  he  went 
inside  and  glanced  around  the  house.  Chancing  to  notice 
a  pair  of  opera-glasses  leveled  upon  himself  from  a  box, 
he  glanced  up  just  as  the  glasses  fell  to  the  stage  below, 
causing  the  young  lady,  who  had  held  them,  to  start  up 
with  a  slight  scream.  The  curtains  of  the  box  were 
instantly  drawn  together,  by  a  gentleman  whom  the  young 
man  recognized  to  be  Colonel  Stoughton.  Finding  a 
vacant  seat  nearly  opposite  the  box,  he  sat  down  to  await 
the  drawing  apart  of  the  curtains,  for  the  brief  glance 
which  he  had  of  the  contour  of  the  lady's  head,  satisfied 
him  that  she  was  not  the  one  with  whom  the  officer  had 
entered  the  building,  and  excited  his  curiosity  to  know  if 
it  might  not  be  Miss  Seymour.  As  he  took  his  seat,  he 
heard  a  lady  in  front  of  him  say  to  another : 

"Yes,  Colonel  Stoughton  was  attentive  to  Fannie 
Allsop  last  winter,  but  I  tell  you  I  know  !  It  was  thought 
in  Boston  that  they  were  to  be  married  in  the  spring,  but 
Fannie  has  only  mental  and  personal  charms,  and  this 
Seymour  girl  has  the  charm,  par  excellencej  which  is  irre- 
sistible to  the  masculine — shall  I  say  ^ fancy  f ' " 

"  And  you  hnow  they  are  to  be  married  ?  " 

"  I  have  it  from  a  confidential  friend  of  his.  They  are 
to  be  married  Thursday — day  after  to-morrow — morning, 
and  will  sail  for  Europe  in  the  afternoon  of  that  day. 
I  am  surprised  at  her  to  be  here  to-night." 


"a  cool  reception."  371 

"  Who  is  she,  any  way  ?  I  know  most  of  the  Seymours, 
but  never  heard  of  a  Florence." 

"  Oh ;  she  is  one  of  the  pom^  cousins ;  or  was  until 
somebody  left  her  a  good  part  of  his  fortune — one  of  her 
great  uncles,  I  believe." 

The  yoimg  man  listened  to  this  conversation,  until  it 
was  stopped  by  the  ringing  up  of  the  curtain,  and  still 
the  curtains  to  the  box  were  not  drawn  back.  Finally, 
while  the  audience  were  breathlessly  listening  to  a  thrill- 
ing strain  of  melody,  he  arose  and  left  his  seat,  with  the 
remark,  muttered  to  himself : 

"  What  a  trivial  matter — the  dropping  of  a  pair  of 
opera-glasses — to  create  so  great  a  commotion  !  I  had 
no  idea  Miss  Seymour  was  so  nervous.^' 

A  few  minutes  later  he  entered  the  box  unceremoni- 
ously, having  no  card  to  send  in  advance,  and  having  no 
doubt  that  he  should  receive  such  welcome,  at  least,  as 
common  civility  always  accords,  from  Dr.  Hansel,  should 
he  be  present.  But  the  old  gentleman,  who  was  sitting 
near  the  entrance  to  the  box — perhaps  he  did  not  care  to 
be  seen  in  an  opera-house — arose  suddenly  to  his  feet  and 
demanded : 

"  What  does  this  intrusion  mean,  sir  ?  " 

"I  am  Stewart  of  Alabama,  doctor,"  replied  the  young 
man,  supposing  that  he  was  not  recognized,  "  and  desire 
.to  pay  my  respects  to  Miss  Seymour,  and  to  inquire  after 
the  health  of  yourself  and  family." 

"  We  are  all  well,  sir ;  but  did  you  not  insult  my 
nephew.  Colonel  Stoughton,  in  the  vestibule ;  and  do  you 
not  know  that  he  is  in  this  box  ?  " 

"  I  believe  him  to  be  here,  sir ;  but  I  assure  you,  my 
visit  has  no  reference  to  him  whatever." 

"  But  I  must  ask  you  to  retire,  sir.     The  fact  that  you 


372  A   LULL   IN   THE   STORM. 

know  him  to  be  here  shows  that  you  have  not  sufficient 
respect  for  Miss  Seymour  to  prompt  you  to  avoid  the 
risk  of  a  collision  in  her  presence." 

"  Miss  Seymour  does  not  entertain  a  doubt  of  my  most 
profound  respect,  sir ;  and  there  could  not  possibly  be  any 
risk,  such  as  you  intimate,  where  only  gentlemen  are 
concerned." 

"  Why  do  you  bandy  words,  sir  ?  "  demanded  Colonel 
Stoughton,  angrily,  moving  his  chair  aside  as  if  to 
advance.  "  You  have  been  requested  to  retire ;  do  you 
mean  to  wait  to  be  ordered  ?  " 

"  No,  sir ;  I  see  that  there  is  danger — Doctor  Hansel 
knows  you  better  than  I  do — so  I  shall  await  your  orders 
in  the  vestibule." 

As  the  young  man  closed  the  door  behind  him,  he 
heard  a  chair  fall  over  in  the  box,  followed  immediately 
by  a  shuffling  of  feet ;  and  a  policeman,  who  had  doubt- 
less been  attracted  by  the  loud  words  of  Colonel  Stoughton, 
confronted  him  with  the  inquiry  • 

"  What's  the  matter  in  there  ?  " 

"  Nothing  of  any  consequence.  All  will  be  quiet  now," 
replied  the  young  man,  passing  on. 

He  had  been  promenading  the  vestibule  for  half  an  hour 
or  more,  pausing  occasionally  at  one  door  or  another  to 
listen  to  some  favorite  strain,  when  an  officer  who  came 
in  from  the  street  approached  him  and  remarked : 

"  You  have  been  promenading  here  for  some  time,  sir ; 
why  do  you  not  go  in  ?  " 

"  I  have  an  appointment  to  meet  a  party  here,"  replied 
the  young  man,  carelessly. 

"  Before  the  close  of  the  performance  ?     What  for  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  care  to  tell,  sir." 

"  Did  the  party  promise  to  meet  you  here  ?  " 


i> 


.»-' 


{( 


IN  'durance  vile'  again.''  375 

"  No." 

"  Then  how  could  it  be  an  appointment  ?  " 

"  I  made  it  myself." 

"  Perhaps  then  you'll  be  disappointed  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no ;  he'll  hardly  creep  out  with  the  actors,"  said 
the  young  man,  with  a  laugh. 

"  Then  he  is  bound  to  creep  out  with  the  actors,  or 
keep  the  appointment  you  have  made  for  him,  eh  ?  " 

"  I  see  your  drift,  sir,"  said  the  young  man,  suddenly 
growing  serious  ;  "  but  you  are  mistaken.  I  am  not  that 
kind  of  person." 

"  Perhaps  not ;  but  I  must  take  you  in  charge,  never- 
theless, sir ! " 

"  In  charge  ! "  exclaimed  the  young  man,  in  astonish- 
ment.    "  On  what  grounds  ?  " 

•'  Have  you  not  threatened  Colonel  Stoughton  ?  and  are 
you  not  here  waylaying  him  ?  " 

"  No ;  I  asked  him  to  meet  me  here,  and  intended  to 
demand  an  apology  from  him ;  nothing  more  to-night,  at 
least." 

"  We  know  all  about  it,  sir ;  and  I  am  sorry  to  have  to 
trouble  you  to  go  with  me." 

"  Then  will  you  do  me  the  kindness  to  notify  a  colored 
friend  of  mine  who  is  now  in  the  gallery  ?  His  name  is 
Dick  Stewart,  and  I  fear  he  will  be  unable  to  find  his 
way  alone  to  our  hotel." 

Another  policeman  who  was  standing  at  some  distance 
was  sent  for  Dick,  who  soon  made  his  appearance,  talking 
earnestly  to  the  officer,  who  had  taken  his  arm. 

"  Mars'  Chyarles,"  he  said,  as  the  young  man  took  the 
other  officer's  arm  and  started  down  the  steps,  "  I  told  you 
so  !  I  knowed  dey'd  grab  you  ef  dey  got  half  a  chance. 
Dey's  took  you  up  des  cause  you  want  to  let  some  o'  dese 


376  A  LULL  IN  THE  STOEM. 

slick-hat  fellers  know  wlio^s  what,  an'  I  has  tole  dis 
gent' man  dat  I  knocked  down  two  men,  an'  kicked  de 
haslet  most  out'n  another  one  las'  fall  at  a  co'n  shuckin' 
— what  dese  folks  calls  a  husky  bee — an'  he  won't  take 
me  up.  Dat's  what  I  calls  'scrim inatin'  agin  a  gent'- 
man." 

"  I  should  like  to  have  your  company  in  the  lock-up, 
Dick,"  laughed  the  young  man,  "  but  I  much  prefer  to 
have  you  go  back  to  the  hotel  and  put  your  wits  to  work 
to  ascertain  how  many  years  it  will  take  you  to  earn  a 
thousand  dollars  to  pay  my  ransom." 

"  How  many  years  ! "  exclaimed  Dick,  looking  at  the 
officer,  as  if  the  remark  was  addressed  to  him ;  "you  ain't 
gwine  to  stay  in  no  prison  no  years  !  Leastways  not  by 
yourself.  Dar's  too  many  ole  fat  fellers  wid  big  watch 
chains  an'  long  munny  pusses  runnin'  'roun  here  loose  for 
dat.  It's  a  po'  rule  dat  won't  work — one  way  or 
'tother." 

"There's  but  one  working  of  any  rule  that  can  work 
us  any  good  now,  Dick,"  replied  the  yoimg  man,  with  a 
laugh,  "  and  that  is,  '  put  money — honest  money — in  thy 
purse.'  If  you  can  hire  at  the  hotel  as  chief  bell-runner 
and  bottle-washer,  at  ten  dollars  per  week,  it  will  only 
take  you  two  or  three  years  to  raise  the  necessary  funds." 

This  laughing  remark  seemed  to  put  a  new  idea  into 
Dick's  head,  and,  after  seeing  where  the  young  master 
was  to  be  locked  up,  and  when  the  hearing  would  be  had, 
he  left  for  the  hotel,  where  "  white  niggers  waits  on  cullerd 
gent'men,"  in  a  brisk  walk. 

As  he  hurried  along  he  chanced  to  glance  into  a  car- 
riage whirling  by  a  cross  street  in  front  of  him,  and 
recognized  Dr.  Hansel  as  the  gentleman  occupant. 

"  Dat's  de  idee ! "  he  exclaimed,  suddenly,  striking  the 


"seeking  an  old  feiend's  advice/'       377 

fist  of  one  hand  into  the  open  palm  of  the  other,  and 
starting  off  in  a  run  to  keep  the  carriage  in  sight,  "  Mars' 
Chyarles  don't  know  who's  in  dis  big  town  !  Ef  he  did, 
he'd  snort  an'  cavort  'roun'  wuss'n  a  caged  lion  in  dat 
jail.  But  Mars'  Doctor'll  help  me,  I  know.  He  ain't  no 
bad  man — des  ain't  been  used  to  niggers,  dat's  all — an'  I 
was  mean  es  a  dog  to  call  'im  a  ole  rooster,  an'  I  never 
will  do  it  no  mo',  es  long  es  I  live." 

He  was  half  out  of  breath  before  the  chase  was  over, 
and  he  saw  the  carriage  stop  at  the  door  of  a  handsome 
residence.  The  lady  alighted  first,  and  ran  up  the 
marble  steps,  and  he  rushed  up,  just  as  the  old  gentleman 
was  coaxing  the  kinks  out  of  his  stiffened  muscles  on  the 
curbstone,  ^vith  the  enthusiastic  salutation : 

"  Howdy,  Mars'  Doctor ;  howdy,  sar  !  I's  glad  to  see 
you — deed  I  is !  An'  bless  gracious.  Miss  Flo' nee ! 
Howdy,  young  mistis,  howdy  !     How's  ole  mistis  ?  " 

"Who  are  you,  sir?"  exclaimed  the  old  man,  drawing 
back  and  eyeing  the  poor  fellow  suspiciously. 

"  A\Tiy,  Mars'  Doctor,  don't  you  know  me  ?  I's  Dick 
Sty  ode,  sar ;  Mars'  Chyarles  Sty  ode's  Dick,  in  Alabamer ; 
an'  I  has  been  to  the  'Theneum  many  a  time,  an'  you  has 
been  to  our  house;  you  an'  all  your  fambly,  an'  I  has 
driv'  you  in  our  kerrige,  an'  we's  ole  frens,  an'  I's  in 
trouble  !     De  young  marster  is  got  ketched  agin,  an'  if  I 

don't  raise  a  thousan'  dollars,  or  darabouts,  he'll  be " 

"  Unhand  me,  you  ragamuffin  ! "  exclaimed  the  old 
man,  snatching  his  coat  skirt  from  the  grasp  which  the 
negro  had  taken  on  it,  as  he  saw  him  about  to  turn  away ; 
"  I  desire  to  have  rfbthing  to  do  with  you  or  your  so- 
called  master.     Pass  on,  or  I'll  call  the  police  ! " 

"  Mars'  Doctor,"  pleaded  the  negro,  "  have  pity  !  I 
don't  want  you  to  gimme  no  money  !     I's  a  stranger  in 

23 


378  A   LULL  IN  THE  STORM. 

dis  big  town,  an'  all  I  wants  is  edvice !  I  axes  your 
pard'n  for  lickin'  dat  nigger  Dolfus,  an'  bein'  sassy  to  dat 
ole  'oman  wid  curls  all  'round,  an'  I  has  always  been  a 
'spectful — Oh,  Miss  Flo'nce  have  pity !  Is  you  gwine 
to  desert  a  fren  cause  he's  a  po'  nigger  an'  a  long  ways 
from  home?" 

The  appeal  was  made  to  Miss  Seymour,  who  still  stood 
on  the  top  of  the  steps,  a  silent  but  deeply  interested  spec- 
tator, as  Dr.  Hansel  nodded  to  a  policeman  who  came  up 
at  the  moment. 

"  Send  him  on  away  from  here  ! "  ordered  the  old  man, 
as  he  passed  up  the  steps. 

"  Stop  !  "  said  Miss  Seymour  to  the  officer ;  "  this  man  is 
making  no  disturbance.  He  is  a  stranger,  and  has 
sought  us  only  that  he  may  get  advice.  If  no  one  else 
will  befriend  him,  I  shall  do  so  myself." 

"  Miss  Seymour,"  exclaimed  the  old  man,  seeing  several 
persons  pause  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street  and  gaze 
across  curiously,  "  are  you  aware  that  you  are  making  a 
public  spectacle  of  yourself?  " 

"  Then  ask  this  man  into  the  house  I  " 

"  Off  with  him  to  the  station,  officer ! "  cried  the  old 
man,  imperiously. 

"  Stop  ! "  exclaimed  the  young  lady,  running  down  the 
steps,  with  pale  cheeks.  "  This  man  served  and  befriended 
us  in  the  past,  and  I  shall  not  desert  him  now.  He  has 
done  no  wrong,  but  he  is  in  trouble  and  needs  advice,  he 
says.  If  he  is  taken  to  the  station  house,  I  shall  call  a 
hack  and  go  there  to  hear  what  he  wishes  to  say." 

"  Miss  Seymour,"  said  Dr.  Hansel*  in  an  angry  hiss, 
going  half  way  down  the  steps,  "  go  in  instantly  !  I  com- 
mand you  !     You  are  making  a  public  scandal ! " 

"  I  am  sorry,  sir,"  said  the  young  lady,  firmly.     "  Will 


"a  true  friend  found."  379 

you  ask  this  man  into  the  house  or  else  send  for  a  hack 
for  me  ?  " 

"  Come  in  here,  you  black  imp  ! "  commanded  the  old 
man,  angrily,  forgetting  the  unlubricated  kinks  in  his 
muscles,  and  running  rapidly  up  the  steps. 

"  Miss  Flo'nce,'^  said  Dick,  as  he  walked  by  the  side 
of  the  young  lady  up  the  steps,  ^^  I's  gwine  to  put  your 
name  in  my  pra'rs  from  dis  day  out.  I  knowed  at  fust 
dat  you  was  a  angel  an^  wouldn't  desert  a  fren',  even  ef  he 
was  a  po'  common-lookin'  nigger ;  an'  I's  most  'stracted 
wid  trubble.  I  has  bin  in  a  heap  o'  tight  places  in  my 
time,  but  it  was  out  in  de  country  whar  I  could  git  a 
plenty  o'  ar  an'  elbow  room  ;  but  dis  big  town  an'  all  dese 
fokes  'stracts  me  ! " 

Dr.  Hansel  awaited  them  in  the  hall,  and  bowing  vnth. 
mock  defference,  he  inquired  : 

"  Will  my  Lady  ]\Iagnificent  entertain  her  guest  in  the 
kitchen  ?  " 

^'  We  will  go  to  the  dining  room,  Dick,"  said  the  young 
lady,  affecting  not  to  notice  the  old  man's  rudeness,  "  and 
have  some  coffee  while  I  hear  your  trouble." 

While  Dick  narrated  his  troubles,  and  told  of  the  pre- 
cious contents  of  tlie  parchment  envelope  sewed  up  in  the 
breast  of  his  jacket,  he  protested  against  being  seated  in 
the  young  lady's  presence,  but  finally  yielded  in  a  confused 
manner  "  to  please  de  young  mistiss,"  and  seated  himself 
so  near  the  front  edo-e  of  the  chair,  as  to  be  in  danger  of 
slipping  off.  But  Avhen  "  a  fine  gent'man  wid  *a  white 
weskit  an'  a  biled  shirt "  entel^ed,  bringing  coffee,  sardines, 
chipped  tongue  and  crackers,  and  refused,  with  only  a 
slight  gesture  and  shrug  of  the  shoulder,  to  accept  his 
pantomimic  proposition  to  exchange  places,  his  cup  of 
embarrassments  was  filled  to  overflowing. 


380  A   LULL   IN   THE   STORM. 

The  young  lady,  however,  relieved  him  by  sending 
"  James  "  off  for  a  pawnbroker,  and  then  going  herself  in 
quest  of  a  pair  of  scissors,  with  which  to  open  the  breast- 
pocket of  his  buckskin  jacket. 

It  was  long  past  midnight  before  Dick  left  the  house, 
with  James  as  a  guide  to  his  hotel ;  and  during  the  time 
spent  within,  he  had  exchanged  his  lugubrious  countenance 
for  one  that  sent  a  beam  of  joy  from  every  square  inch  of 
its  surface. 

"  I  say,  Jim  ! ''  he  exclaimed  to  his  guide,  having  lost 
his  deference  for  the  supposed  fine  gentleman  as  soon  as 
he  ascertained  that  he  was  only  a  "  white  nigger,^'  "  I's  des 
spilin'  to  let  de  nabers  hear  from  me ;  I  feels  so  good. 
Would  dem  brass-button  fellers  dat's  totin'  dem  rollin'- 
pins  roun'  here  for  sodes,  grab  me  ef  I  was  to  whirl  in 
an'  larn  de  elements  wid  a  rale  ole  Ferginny  co'n-shuckin' 
whoop  ?  '^ 

"  Don't  do  it ! "  exclaimed  the  other,  seizing  him  by 
the  arm,  as  he  thought  the  whoop  was  about  to  leap  out 
upon  the  decorous  air  of  Fifth  Avenue.  "  It  would  cost 
us  five  dollars  apiece  !  " 

"  Well,  I  won't  fling  away  no  munny,"  replied  Dick, 
making  a  motion  as  if  to  lock  the  whoop  in  his  throat, 
"  ef  dat's  de  game  !  But  I's  got  a  dead  load  of  it — I's 
lousy  wid  munny  !  Wouldn't  dat  be  fun  ef  one  o'  dese 
bunco  fellers  was  to  come  sailin'  roun'  an'  smell  de 
cyaron,  an'  lite  on  to  Dick  for  a  little  lam'  too  dead  to 
skin !  Yah  !  yah  !  Come  on,  Jim,  I's  gwine  to  treat 
you  to  a  whole  dollar's  wuff  o'  de  bes'  in  de  Ian' ! " 

The  next  morning,  when  Mr.  Stewart  Avas  brought  up, 
it  was  charged  that  he  had  threatened  the  life  of  a  gentle- 
man, in  his  own  private  box,  at  the opera  house,  and 

was  arrested  while  in  the  act  of  waylaying  him  in  the  ves- 


"before  the  police  justice."  381 

tibule  of  the  buildiDg.  The  young  man  denied  the 
charges;  but,  in  reply  to  questions  propounded  by  the 
police  justice,  admitted  that  he  had  waited  to  demand  an 
apology,  and,  in  case  it  had  been  refused,  it  was  his  inten- 
tion to  administer  merited  chastisement  in  some  proper 
manner,  and  at  some  proper  time  and  place.  Having 
elicited  this  admission,  the  magistrate  decided  that  he 
must  give  bonds,  in  the  penalty  of  one  thousand  dollars, 
to  keep  the  peace  for  the  space  of  one  year. 

"  But,  your  honor,"  protested  the  young  man,  "  I  know 
no  one  in  the  city  whom  I  could  ask  to  go  upon  my  bond ; 
and,  beside,  the  other  party  will  sail  for  Europe  to-morrow." 

"You  can  deposit  the  amount  in  bank,  sir,  as  your 
security,  and  I  will  allow  you  to  withdraw  it  as  soon  as  it 
shall  be  ascertained  that  the  other  gentleman  has  gone  to 
Europe  to  be  absent  for  any  length  of  time." 

"  I  am  a  paroled  prisoner,  your  honor,  and  have  not  so 
much  as  one-tenth  of  the  amount  named." 

"  Can  you  not  arrange  it  by  telegraph  ?  " 

"  No,  sir  ;  I  doubt  if  I  have  a  friend  in  the  South  who 
can  raise  one  thousand  dollars  in  money." 

"  I  am  very  sorry,  sir ;  but  if  you  cannot  arrange  it  in 
some  way,  I  shall  have  to  keep  you  in  confinement — at 
least  until  to-morrow  after  the  other  gentleman  shall  have 
sailed,  should  he  do  so." 

Dick,  who  had  lost  the  way  between  his  hotel  and  the 
court-room,  and  had  been  greatly  delayed  thereby,  had 
come  in  a  few  moments  before  the  last  remark,  and  had 
paused  near  the  entrance  to  ascertain  the  position  of  affairs. 
He  now  sidled  up  to  the  young  master,  and  in  an  excited 
whisper,  which  was  heard  by  half  the  house,  said : 

"  I's  got  de  munny.  Mars'  Chyarles  !  Pay  up,  an'  less 
git !     Miss  rio'nce  helped  me  ! " 


'382  A   LULL,  IN  THE   STORM. 

"What  money?"  asked  the  young  man,  in  astonish- 
ment. 

"  Dem  thousan^  dollars  !     Mum's  de  word  ! " 

"  What  thousand  dollars  ?  " 

-"  To  git  you  out !     Marmsell's  big  dimunt  I     Mum  !  '^ 

"AlHiat  is  it?"  asked  the  magistrate,  having  closely 
observed  the  bv-i>lav. 

"  A  friend  proposes  to  furnish  the  necessary  money  for 
my  surety,  your  honor/'  replied  Mr.  Stewart,  with  the 
perplexity  he  felt  plainly  visible  in  liis  countenance. 

"  This  colored  man  ?  "  asked  the  magistrate,  eyeing  Dick 
over  the  steel  rim  of  his  glasses.  "  Is  he  the  one  who 
pledged  himself  last  night  to  raise  a  large  amount  of 
money  or  else  to  get  into  prison  ?  " 

"  That  was  only  a  jest  of  his,  your  honor.  He  is  a 
thoroughly  respectable  man." 

"  Let  me  see  the  money  ?  "  said  the  magistrate,  address- 
ing Dick.  "  You  don't  look  like  a  Wall  Street  broker,  but 
appearances  are  deceptive  sometimes.  How  much  is  there  ?  " 

"  A  even  thousan',  boss,"  replied  Dick,  handing  up  a 
large  buff  envelope  pretty  well  filled  with  bills,  "  an'  it's 
all  hones'  munny." 

"  Yes  ?  Where  did  you  get  it  ?  "  asked  the  magistrate, 
runnino;  over  the  bills  hurriedly. 

Dick  stated,  in  his  peculiar  style  of  narrative,  the  fact 
that  in  1861  Marienne  had  enclosed  a  large  diamond  in 
an  envelope  made  of  the  'coon-skin  head  of  his  banjo,  and 
fearing  that  the  young  master  would  not  accept  the  oflPer- 
ing,  had  directed  him,  if  an  emergency  ever  arose,  for 
which  there  was  no  other  solution,  to  deliver  the  ring  to 
the  young  man,  or  else  to  sell  it  for  his  benefit ;  closing 
with  an  account  of  his  visit  to  Dr.  Hansel  and  the  pawn- 
ing of  the  ring  for  the  money  in  hand. 


*'  HERE   IS   YOUR   DIAMOND  !  "  383- 

"  Who  is  Dr.  Hansel  ?  "  asked  the  magistrate. 

"  He  is  de  ole  roos — de  gent'man  dat  we  used  to  know 
in  Alabama." 

"  Where  does  he  reside?^' 

"  At  de  corner  whar  dar's  white  rock  steps  to  de  do\^' 
replied  Dick,  unable  to  give  any  idea  of  the  locality. 

"  What  street  and  number,  sir  ?  " 

"  Dunno,  boss  ! "  exclaimed  Dick,  startled  by  the  officer's 
stern  voice.  ^'  Dar's  a  silver  bress-plate  on  de  do',  an'  a 
brass  'oman  by  de  stars-steps  holdin'  up  a  lamp." 

"  Who  was  the  pawnbroker,  sir  ?  What  was  his  street 
and  number,  and  all  about  him  ?  " 

"  Dunuo,  boss  ! "  replied  Dick,  quite  bewildered. 

"  Have  you  anything  to  show  ?  Where's  the  envelope 
the  ring  was  in  ?  " 

"  I's  got  it,  sar,"  replied  Dick,  reluctantly. 

''  Hand  it  up." 

"  'Twant  'spected  for  nobody  to  see  dat  but "  began 

the  confused  negro,  but  was  cut  short  by  the  peremptory 
command,  "  Hand  it  up,  sir  ! "  and  receiving  an  approving 
nod  from  the  young  master,  he  handed  a  misshapen 
parchment  -envelope  from  which  the  address  had  almost 
entirely  disappeared  in  consequence  of  the  frequent  wet- 
tings it  had  received  in  the  hundreds  of  rains  that  its 
faithful  custodian  had  marched,  bivouacked  and  camped 
in  during  the  past  four  years. 

As  the  magistrate  opened  it  and  drew  out  the  coffee- 
colored  paper,  through  which  the  diamond  had  worn  on 
each  side,  a  ring  fell  into  his  hand,  and  Mr.  Stewart 
instantly  recognized  Miss  Seymour's  handsome  and  chaste 
lapis-lazuli. 

"  Ha  !  here  is  your  diamond,"  exclaimed  the  magistrate, 
holding  the  ring  up  in  the  light ;  "  made  of  glass  and 


384       *  A  LULL  IN  THE  STORM. 

painted  blue !  Quite  an  accommodating  pawnbroker  to 
lend  a  thousand  dollars  on  a  blue-glass  diamond,  and  then 
return  it  before  he  got  his  money  back  ! " 

"  Dat  is  Miss  Flon'ce's  ring,  sar/'  exclaimed  Dick,  look- 
ing as  if  he  felt  that  circumstancial  evidence  was  about  to 
consign  him  to  a  felon's  cell.  '^  De  tother  ring,  Miss 
Flon'ce  told  de  man  dat  fetched  de  money,  she  would 
'deem  it  dis  mornin'.  I  dunno  how  dat  ring  come  in  dar, 
but  Miss  Flon'ce  told  me  dar  w^as  a  message  in  dar  for 
Mars'  Chyarles." 

"  Who  are  Miss  Florence  and  ^  Mars'  Chyarles '  ?  " 

"  I  think  I  can  explain  it,  if  you  will  permit  me,  your 
honor,"  said  ]\Ir.  Stewart,  coming  to  the  rescue  of  Dick, 
who  was  badly  demoralized  by  the  magistrate's  evident 
suspicion.  "The  diamond  was  pawned;  and  the  lady, 
Miss  Florence,  an  old  friend  of  mine,  substituted  her  ring 
for  the  diamond." 

"  Read  this  paper,  sir,  written  four  years  ago,  and  see 
how  it  fits  your  explanation,"  said  the  magistrate,  handing 
the  creased  and  dilapidated  sheet  down  to  the  young  man. 

The  paper  proved  to  have  preserved  the  writing  much 
better  than  the  home-made  parchment  envelope  had  done, 
and  Mr.  Stewart  read,  without  much  difficulty,  the  blurred 
characters  in  Marienne's  handwriting  : 

"  The  Oaks,  June  6th,  '61. 
''  Dear  Monsieur : 

"  I  have  cause  to  believe  that  the  light  of  this  gem  has  cast  a  spell  of 

evil  which  has  resulted,  indirectly,  in  unhappiness  to  you  ;  and  it  has 

become  hateful  to  me.     If  its  incarceration  shall  not  break  the  spell, 

perhaps  its  possession  may  enable  you  to  make  its  transferable  value 

serve  you  in  time  of  dire  necessity.     Use  it  as  you  will.      It  is  yours, 

and  shall  be  mine  never  more !     Mammy  endorses  this  resolution  and 

advises  this  action.    May  the  God  of  battles  preserve  and  keep  you  from 

all  harm !  "  Yours  faithfully, 

"  IVIarienne." 


"A   DOUBLE   INCARCERATION."  385 

Below  this  he  read,  in  fresh  plain  characters  and  Miss 
Seymour's  round,  beautiful  hand : 

"  The  incarceration  is  ended ;  the  malignant  spell  is  broken  ;  good 
has  come  out  of  evil. 

"  There  is  a  new  incarceration  ;  will  it  work  a  beneficent  spell ;  can 
it  resurrect  the  hopes  of  the  past  ?  " 

The  young  man's  face  was  very  pale,  and  there  was  a 
suspicion  of  moisture  upon  his  eyelashes,  as  he  addressed 
the  court  again  : 

"  I  think  my  explanation  fits  exactly,  your  honor. 
The  recent  writing  plainly  intimates  the  substitution  of 
the  ring  you  hold  for  the  one  which  was  originally 
enclosed." 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  magistrate,  kindly,  ^^  it  can  be  con- 
strued in  that  way ;  but  a  thousand  dollars  is  too  much 
money  to  raise  on  a  ring  from  a  New  York  pawnbroker, 
it  seems  to  me  ;  and  I  shall  have  to  require  proof.  If  we 
could  ascertain  the  number  and  street  of  any  of  the  parties, 
we  could  have  one  or  more  of  them  here  within  half  an 
hour.  Can't  you  conduct  an  officer  to  the  place,  sir  ?  "  he 
asked  of  Dick. 

"  Yes,  boss  !  I  kin  try  !  "  he  responded,  excitedly. 
"  My  luck  has  helped  me  out  o'  many  a  hard  place,  an' 
ef  it'll  stick  to  me  a  little  longer,  I'll  thank  my  stars  ;  an' 
git  back  to  w^har  you  don't  have  to  'pend  on  luck  all  de 
time." 

But  the  poor  fellow  had  no  occasion  this  time  to  thank 
his  stars,  for  instead  of  leading  in  the  direction  of  Fifth 
Avenue  he  conducted  the  officer  to  the  vicinity  of  the  old 
Five  Points,  and  the  search  was  soon  abandoned.  On  his 
return  he  found  that  the  officers  of  the  law  were  not  the 
"  'scriminatin'  "  persons  he  had  thought  them  on  the  night 
previous,  and  they  very  impartially  locked  him  up  with 


386  A    LULL   IN   THE   STORM. 

the  young  master,  giving  both  the  assurance  that  they 
should  be  released  as  soon  as  the  police  could  find  the 
pawnbroker,  or  any  other  one  of  the  persons  having  a 
knowledge  of  the  facts,  to  verify  the  statement  made. 

Three  days  had  elapsed  after  Dick's  incarceration,  before 
the  pawnbroker  was  found  by  the  police.  His  statement 
and  identification  of  a  part  of  the  money  cleared  all  doubts 
from  the  minds  of  the  officers  and  magistrate;  and  it 
having  been  already  ascertained  that  Colonel  Stoughton 
had  sailed  to  Europe,  in  company  with  Dr.  Hansel  and 
family,  the  two  prisoners  were  released  at  the  same  time, 
and  the  money  and  the  ring  were  returned  to  Dick's 
custody. 

"  Mars'  Chyarles,"  said  the  latter,  after  having  care- 
fully counted  the  money  at  the  hotel,  "  does  you  'member 
dat  sarmunt  Passen  Ellit  preached,  de  las'  time  me  an' 
you  hyeard  him,  'bout  Sodom  an'  Gomorrer?  Well,  I 
was  beginin'  to  think  dat  dis  is  de  place,  done  growed  up 
agin ;  but  I  blieve  dese  is  right  honest  sort  o'  fokes — de 
money  is  all  right — dey  hasn't  took  a  cent !  But  for  all 
dat,  I  don't  blieve  dese  long-tail,  brass-button  fellers,  dat 
totes  roun'  dem  biscuit-beaters  so  gran',  does  a  thing  in 
de  world  but  spy  roun',  watchin'  an'  prayin'  for  a  chance 
to  grab  some  feller  an'  make  his  heart  swink  up,  till  it's 
es  little  an'  es  heavy  es  a  grape-shot.  An'  ef  you  winks 
one  eye  oftener'n  tother,  dey  wants  to  know  what  you 
done  dat  for ;  an'  I  moves  dat  we  pitches  out,  right  away, 
for  de  ^  Alabamer  lowlans,'  whar  fokes  ain't  got  so  much 
curiosity." 

The  young  man  endorsed  Dick's  conclusion,  whatever 
he  may  have  thought  of  his  premises,  and,  as  it  was  now 
late  in  the  forenoon,  he  went  out  to  procure  a  ticket  for 
Dick,  as  the  Government  had  furnished  him  transportation 


"a  happy  meeting."  387 

for  himself  only.  As  he  walked  quickly  along,  revolving  in 
his  mind  a  compromise  between  duty  and  inclination,  and 
ignoring  the  fact  that  Necessity  sat  as  the  stern  and  inex- 
orable arbiter,  he  ran  full  against  a  gentleman,  who 
closed  his  arms  around  him,  with  the  exclamation : 

"  Stewart,  my  dear  fellow,  of  all  the  people  on  the  earth 
whom  I  most  desired  and  least  expected  to  see,  you  are 

the  one ! " 

"  Conrad,  old  boy,"  replied  the  young  man,  returning 
his  friend's  embrace,  ^'  I  had  despaired  of  finding  you  ! 
I  came  here  for  that  purpose,  as  I  could  not  learn  where 
you  were.  Do  you  know  that  your  cousin  sailed  for 
Liverpool  two  days  ago  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  but  I  am  glad  to  see  that  she  left  her  ring," 
replied  the  young  man,  with  a  twinkle  in  his  eyes,  as  he 
glanced  significantly  at  that  ornament  upon  Mr.  Stewart's 
fourth  finger.  "  Come  in  here  to  Delmonico's,  and  let's 
talk." 

As  the  two  friends  sat  over  their  elegant  patisserie  and 
fabulously  old  wine.  General  Conrad  informed  his  friend, 
whose  secret  he  had  been  intrusted  with  after  his  capture, 
that  Miss  Seymour  had  inherited  a  handsome  fortune,  and 
that  he  had  heard  it  was  Dr.  Hansel's  determination  to 
ma,VYy  her  to  a  nephew  of  his — a  Colonel  Stoughton — "  a 
^  rear  '-colonel,  as  w^e  call  those  who  did  not  have  a  fancy 
for  the  front." 

*'  Madam  Rumor  has  it,"  he  added,  "  that  she  is  to 
marry  this  rear-colonel,  as  soon  as  they  arrive  in  London, 
which  is  their  place  of  destination,  I  hear ;  but  I  do  not 
believe  it ;  nor  do  you,  eh  ?  " 

"  No,  I  do  not !  Have  you  conversed  with  her 
recently  ?  " 

"  No  !     Do  you  know  that  I  have  not  seen,  or  had  a 


388  A   LULL   IN   THE   STORM. 

line  from  her,  since  Gettysburg  ?  Before  that,  I  used  to 
hear  from  her  every  month  or  so,  as  she  was  being  hauled 
about  '  from  post  to  pillar,'  after  their  return  from  Ala- 
bama.    Did  you  hear  from  her  often  ? '' 

"  Never  a  word  !  I  wrote  to  the  address  you  gave  me 
several  times,  but  received  no  replies.'^ 

"  I  mentioned  in  each  one  of  the  few  letters  I  wrote 
her  that  you  were  at  Johnson's  Island.  Did  she  men- 
tion the  fact  to  you  ?  " 

"  I  have  not  spoken  with  her,  my  dear  fellow.  This 
ring  came  into  my  possession  in  quite  a  romatic  way." 

The  young  man  then  narrated  to  his  friend  the  occur- 
rences of  the  past  several  days. 

"  I  am  sorry  you  did  not  get  an  apportunity  to  pinch 
the  rear-coloneFs  ears,"  laughed  Mr.  Conrad — he  had 
resigned  his  office.  "  As  to  the  Rev.  Hezekiah  Hansel,  I 
have  little  or  no  confidence  in  him.  It  may  be  that  he 
has  condescended  to  play  little  tricks.  You  will  laugh  at 
the  idea,  perhaps,  but  I  make  it  a  rule  to  watch  every 
New  Englander  who  has  a  Bible  name ;  particularly  if 
he  puts  on  a  sanctimonious  face." 

"  As  regards  Dr.  Hansel,  I  fear  that  your  suspicions  are 
well  founded,"  said  the  young  man,  sadly.  "I  have 
reason  to  believe  that  he  has  not  dealt  with  me  candidly, 
by  any  means.  May  it  not  be  possible  that  he  will  play 
some  trick,  practice  some  deception  upon  that  dear  girl, 
w^hich  will  aifect  seriously  all  her  future  life  ?  Heavens !  I 
tell  you  what  I  shall  do  !  I  have  a  thousand  dollars ;  you 
shall  lend  me  as  much  more,  and  I  shall  follow  on  the 
next  steamer ! " 

"  With  the  greatest  pleasure,  my  friend  !  I  have  no 
doubt  I  can  raise  the  money.  You  know  my  firm  failed 
not  long  since — too  much  Bible  name  and    Plymouth 


"duty  points  the  way/'  389 

Rock  grit  in  tlie  head  of  the  firm — but  there  are  assets 
from  which  I  shall  realize  ten  thousand  dollars,  or  more ; 
and  that  will  be,  when  I  get  it,  my  fortune,  since  ^  this 
cruel  war  is  over/  But  I  can  raise  you,  in  a  day  or  two, 
all  that  you  want.  As  to  that  little  cousin,  she  has  as 
strong  a  will  as  Dr.  Hansel,  and  he  can  influence  her  only 
through  her  mother,  poor  woman.  He  can  never  make 
her  marry  Colonel  Stoughton,  unless  she  takes  a  fancy 
to  do  so ;  for,  though  she  is  as  gentle  as  a  lamb,  she  can  be 
as  firm,  if  not  as  '  cold  as  the  rocks  on  Torneo's  hoary 
brow.'     When  will  you  go  ?  " 

"  Ah !  your  mention  of  business,"  replied  the  young 
man,  sadly,  "  reminds  me  that  my  firm  failed  some  time 
ago.  ^  Stew^art,  King  Cotton  &  Co,'  were  ruined  by 
'  Turchin,  Uncle  Sam  &  Co.'  No,  my  good  friend,  I  will 
not  borrow  money.  It  might  be  that  I  could  not  repay 
it.  I  have  nothing  left  but  two  sections  of  land,  without 
a  building,  and  without  a  fence — a  wilderness  of  weeds 
and  briers.  Duty  points  my  w^ay  homew^ard.  I  must 
learn  what  has  become  of  Marienne,  and  if  mammy  and 
my  poor  people  are  not  suffering  for  bread.  My  food 
almost  chokes  me,  since  I  have  myself  ceased  to  suffer 
from  hunger,  when  I  think  of  that  poor  old  woman  as  a 
sufferer  who  has,  perhaps,  not  had  enough  to  eat  at  two 
consecutive  meals  for  three  years.  I  shall  have  to  sell  one 
section  of  mv  land  for  about  one-fourth  its  value,  in  order 
to  be  enal)led  to  make  bread  on  the  other.  All !  what  a 
terrible  thing  is  poverty  ! " 

"  Cheer  up,  old  fellow^ ! "  exclaimed  Mr.  Conrad,  slapping 
his  Mend  heartily  on  the  back.  "  '  Enough  is  as  good  as  a 
feast.'  See  how  I  bear  up  under  like  troubles  !  True  I 
have  none  dependent  on  me,  but  I  fancy  I  am  poorer  than 
you,  and  I  have  an  idea  of  becoming  a  cotton  planter,  to 


390  A   LULL   IN   THE   STORM. 

recuperate  my  health,  in  the  South.     What  will  you  take 
for  your  two  sections  ?  ^' 

"  Your  ten  thousand  dollars,"  laughed  the  young  man. 

"  Agreed.  Shake  hands  ! "  and  the  two  friends  laugh- 
ingly shook  hands. 

"  It  is  a  trade,  but  I  shall  not  cheat  you,"  said  Mr. 
Conrad.     "  What  is  your  property  worth  ?  " 

"  Before  the  war,  it  cost  over  forty  thousand  dollars, 
but  it  would  sell  now  for  less  than  ten  thousand.  I  can 
only  sell  one  section,  however — for  I  must  take  care  of  my 
people — and  I  shall  be  very  fortunate  if  I  get  five  thou- 
sand for  it." 

"1^11  take  it  and  give  you  more ;  thus  ;  I  know  I  shall 
realize  over  ten  thousand  out  of  my  wreck,  and  1^11  give 
all  I  get  for  a  half  interest  in  your  land.  We  will  be 
equal  partners  in  everything,  and  will  use  the  money  to 
build  houses  and  fences,  buy  mules  and  implements  and 
hire  labor.  Side  by  side,  and  shoulder  to  shoulder,  we 
will  commence  and  fight  a  determined  campaign  against 
Poverty,  Want  &  Co.     What  do  you  say  ?  " 

"  Agreed.  Shake  hands  again  ! "  exclaimed  the  young 
man,  springing  to  his  feet.  "  We  will  hunt  up  Dick,  and 
start  for  Alabama  tp-night !  " 

"  No,"  said  Mr.  Conrad,  "  you  can  go  as  soon  as  you 
see  fit,  and  I  shall  send  you  a  check,  next  week,  for  a  few 
thousand  dollars ;  but  I  cannot  join  you  for  a  month  or 
more.  In  the  meantime,  you  can  be  getting  things  in 
trim." 

The  two  friends  sought  Dick,  imparted  their  tidings, 
laughed  at  his  "  camp-meeting  capers,"  and  parted  to  meet 
next  in  Alabama. 


CHAPTER  XXiy. 
Home  Again  ! 

"  Oh  !  who  can  tell  the  unspeakable  misery 
Of  solitude  like  this  f  " — Southey's  Thalaba. 

Alas,  for  my  weary  and  care-haunted  bosom! 

Th£,  spells  of  the  spring-time  arouse  it  no  more; 
The  song  in  the  wild-wood,  the  sheen  in  the  blossom, 

The  fresh-swelling  fountain — their  magic  is  o'er  /  " 

— Willis  Gaylord  Clakk. 

''  rpHE  OAKS !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Stewart  as,  a  week  after 
-L  having  wept  over  the  graves  of  his  father  and 
mother — the  former  killed  by  violence,  the  latter  by  grief 
— he  spurred  a  borrowed  wind-broken  cavalry  horse  along 
the  east  road  leading  to  the  site  of  his  former  home. 
"Ah !  the  oaks  are  there,  but ''  The  Oaks"  is  numbered  with 
the  loved  and  lost !  Four  years  ago  here  dwelt  peace  and 
plenty — half  a  hundred  happy  hearts,  in  half  a  score  of 
happy  homes  !  To-day  we  find — what  ?  The  parched 
trees  still  standing,  numerous  little  piles  of  brick  and 
rubbish,  each  one  representing  a  once  comfortable  home, 
three  larger  piles  of  brick  and  mortar,  and  one  chimney, 
which  has  stubbornly  reftised  to  join  its  neighbors  and 
lie  down  to  sleep  in  abject  ruin,  but  whose  top  the  rude 
blasts  of  Boreas  have  torn  away  !  Ah  !.  it  proudly  holds 
its  battered  head  up  amid  the  withered  branches  of  the 
lordly  oaks  !  Grim  sentinel  of  the  past,  I  salute  you  ! 
Stern  defier  of  ruin,  I  bow  before  you  !     Sad  monument 

■  391 


392  HOME  AGAIN  ! 

of  departed  happiness,  I  give  you  a  tear  1  Where  are  all 
those  who  first  saw  you  iu  your  startling  nakedness  ? 
How  many  are  left  to  mingle  their  tears  with  mine? 
How  many  sleep  the  calm  sleep  that  knows  no  morning 
of  sorrow  ?     Ah,  me  ! 

" '  Man  is  but  a  little  boat 

That  paddles  down  the  tide ; 
Passengers  are  passing  joys, 
While  Sorrow  sits  beside ! ' 

"  Yes ;  Sorrow  sits !  The  passengers  have  their  brief 
dance  and  flit  away  ;  but  he  sits  out  the  voyage  !  Stark  old 
chimney !  Many  a  time  have  you  warmed  me  and  my 
friends,  but  now  your  desolate  grandeur  sends  a  greeting 
across  the  wasted  fields  that  chills  my  heart  !  But  what  is 
it  that  you  are  nursing  at  your  feet  ?  A  miserable  little 
log  hut !  Poverty  and  wretchedness,  crouching  at  the  feet 
of  departed  plenty !  Want  and  suffering,  hugging  the 
knees  of  dead  comfort !  Abject  need,  supplicating  aid 
from  the  cold  corpse  of  opulence  !  The  first  rude  hut  of 
new-born  ^freedom'  seeking  to  utilize  the  last  grand  chim- 
ney of  defunct  slavery !  Poetic  justice  toward  which  ? 
Poetic  justice  !  Let  those  w^iose  children's  children  will 
have  to  stand  up  before  that  dispassionate  and  relentless 
judge,  the  Future,  and  make  excuses  for  vandalism  that 
has  disgraced  the  nineteenth  century,  call  it  so  !  Let  the 
present  jibe  and  taunt ;  we  appeal  from  '  Philip  drunk 
to  Philip  sober  ! '  Poor  old  mammy  !  But,  thank  God, 
I  can  help  them  yet !     Hello  ! '' 

This  shout  was  uttered  within  ten  feet  of  the  hut,  which 
had  been  apostrophized  in  the  above  soliloquy,  and  in  a 
moment  the  rude  door  was  dragged,  with  difficulty,  half 
open  upon  its  creaking  wooden  hinges.  Two  little  black, 
pinched  faces  peered  out  through  the  opening,  and  above 


"the  prodigal  recognized."  393 

them  a   sober  care-worn   face,   which   is   recognized   as 
mammy's,  surmounted  by  a  crown  of  dingy,  gray  hair. 

"  'Evenin'  boss,"  said  the  old  woman  in  salute,  turn- 
ing her  attention  to  the  horse  as  she  did  not  recognize  the 
rider,  "  does  you  want  to  see  Gyawge  ?  He's  ailin'  wid 
de  rheumatis',  an'  is  layin'  down." 

"  Yes ;  I  want  to  see  Uncle  George,  and  I  want  to 
see  you  too,  mammy,"  said  the  young  man,  waiting  to  be 
recognized. 

"  Father  in  Heaven !  Oh,  Gyawge !  its  de  young 
marster  ! "  exclaimed  the  old  woman,  sinking  down  as  if 
unable  to  stand,  and  resting  her  head  against  the  door 
post,  while  she  covered  her  face  w^ith  her  patched,  but 
clean  cotton  apron,  and  sobbed  convulsively  with  a 
piteous  moaning  cry. 

Throwing  the  bridle  reins  to  one  of  the  little  negroes 
who  had  rushed  out,  the  young  man  met  Uncle  George, 
who  hobbled  quickly  but  painfully  forward,  and  clasped 
him  in  his  arms. 

"  Young  marster,"  he  exclaimed,  while  the  tears  ran 
down  his  furrowed  cheeks,  *^  God  be  praised  dat  my  ole 
eyes  has  lasted  to  see  you  once  mo' !  We  couldn't  hear 
nothin',  an  we  thought  you  was  wid  de  angels." 

"  Young  marster — baby — "  said  the  old  woman,  stop- 
ping her  crooning  chant,  but  with  her  apron  still  cover- 
ing her  face,  "  come  here  honey  an'  lay  your  head  in  your 
ole  mammy's  lap,  an'  say  dem  same  little  pr'ars  once  mo' 
an'  your  ole  mammy  '11  be  ready  to  go  home  to  your 
ma." 

The  young  man  knelt  by  the  side  of  the  old  woman,    % 
threw  his  arms  around  her  neck,  and  for  a  moment  sobbed 
upon  her  bosom — that  loving  bosom  which  he  knew,  with 
all  his  faults,  had  enshrined  him  as  a  perfect  creature. 

24 


394  HOME   AGAIN  ! 

Then,  rising  to  his  feet,  he  took  the  old  woman  by  the 
arm  to  assist  her  to  arise  and  exclaimed,  banteringly  : 

"  There,  mammy ;  we  hysterical  old  ladies  can't  feel 
good  till  we've  had  our  little  cry,  and  now  we  feel  better ; 
don't  we  ?  ''  " 

"  Baby ! "  said  the  old  woman,  without  moving  or 
uncovering  her  face  while  she  smothered  a  sob,  "  Dick  ?  " 
"  Why,  bless  the  ole  woman  ! "  exclaimed  the  young 
man,  laughing  and  shaking  her  by  the  shoulders.  "  Dick's 
as  sound  as  a  drum,  as  lively  as  a  lark,  and  twice  as 
musical  as  both  together.  He'll  be  here  in  an  hour 
or  so  if  he  does  not  fly  off  at  a  tangent  to  see  Jane.  So 
now  hop  up,  old  woman,  that's  a  good  mammy,  and  see  if 
you  can't  find  me  a  piece  of  ashcake  and  some  meat,  for 
I'm  half  starv^ed,  and  want  to  ^  break  bread '  with  you." 

"  Bless  de  chile — ashcake  an'  meat !  Hongry  for  ash- 
cake an'  meat !  Oh,  my  po'  ole  mistis  !  But  honey,  it's 
all  I's  got  to  give  you — de  Lawd  have  messy  'pon  us — 
ashcake  an'  meat;  an'  nary  fatted  calf — not  even  a  pullet 
or  a  ole  hen  !  Here,  little  Dick,"  she  added,  wiping  the 
tears  from  her  eyes  as  she  arose  to  her  feet,  "  put  de  hoss  on 
dat  grass  in  de  gyarden — he  don't  look  like  he'd  run  'way 
from  dat — an'  you  run  to  spring  an'  fetch  some  water  to 
wash  de  ashcake  for  your  po'  ole  gran'mammy's  blessed 
lam.  Be  pyeart,  now — your  uncle's  a  comin'  bimeby. 
Young  marster,  you  mus'  'sense  your  po'  ole  mammy  for 
not  havin'  nothin'  better  for  vou  dan  ashcake  an'  meat. 
Prudence,  chile,  git  de  fryin'  pan,  an'  look  in  de  chis' 
your  gran'dady's  a  settin'  on,  an'  git  de  meat.  Dais's  two 
big  ashcakes  in,  but  git  de  sifter,  an'  put  in  one  mo',  your 
uncle's  a  comin'  bimeby." 

The  old  woman  ran  on  in  this  way,  without  pausing  for 
a  word  from  any  one,  as  if  talking  in  order  to  arrest,  or 


"times  have  changed."  395 

keep  in  subjection,  the  process  of  thinking,  until  the  meat 
liad  been  produced  from  the  chest,  and  she  had  cut  fr'om 
the  small  square  chunk,  carefully  unwrapped  from  a  clean 
white  cloth,  five  nico^thin  slices. 

"  Hold  on,  mammy  ! ''  exclaimed  the  young  master,  as 
the  old  woman  commenced  to  wrap  up  the  precious  little 
chunk  again.  "  Cut  it  all  up  !  I'm  as  hungry  as  a  wolf, 
and  there  is  only  one  slice  apiece  ! '' 

"  Bless  de  chile !  Honey,  dat's  all  for  you.  Me  an' 
Gyawge  an'  de  chil'n  don't  want  to  be  gorgin'  no  mo' 
meat  to-day." 

^'  Cut  it  all  up,  old  woman,"  persisted  the  young  man, 
"  I'm  going  to  help  Uncle  George  an'  de  chil'n '  to  eat 
you  out  of  house  and  home  before  Dick  get's  here,  for  he 
will  bring  a  wagon  load  of  provisions  '  an'  sugar  an'  cofiy 
an'  tea  an'  things.'  " 

"  Young  marster,  honey,"  said  the  old  woman,  pausiug, 
and  looking  at  him  seriously,  but  smiling  at  his  old  trick 
of  mimicking  her,  "  has  you  done  bought  sugar  an'  cofiy 
an'  tea  an'  things?  " 

'  \yait  and  see  ! "  laughed  the  young  man. 

"Now,  honey,"  said  the  old  w^oman,  still  more  seri- 
ously, "  times  is  done  changed.  Everybody  in  dis  coun- 
try is  satisfied  wid  bread  an'  a  little  meat.  Is  you  able 
to  'ford  dat  'stravagance  ?  " 

"  Cheer  up,  old  w^oman,"  said  the  young  man,  slapping 
her  on  the  shoulder,  and  giving  her  a  little  shake, 
"  haven't  you  always  said  that  the  rainy  days  couldn't 
take  the  ^  shunshine'  out  of  me?  Well,  neither  can  war 
take  all  the  gold  out  of  my  pocket.  I  am  rich  ;  oh,  you 
don't  know  rich.  We  will  build  up  all  the  houses  again, 
and  have  a  plenty  to  eat  and  wear,  and  get  flannels  again 
for  you  and  Uncle  George,  and  bring  all  the  folks  back 


396  HOME   AGAIN  ! 

that  we  can  find,  and  build  up  Bethel  church  again,  and 
— oh,  we'll  forget  there  ever  was  a  war/' 

Before  the  playfully-given  list  of  good  times  coming 
was  half  completed,  the  old  woman  h^id  planted  herself  in 
Uncle  George's  lap,  and,  with  her  apron  over  her  face, 
was  again  indulging  that  weird,  crooning  chant  which  is, 
with  her  race,  the  expression  given  to  emotions  of  joy  or 
grief,  and  particularly  to  a  blending  of  those  emotions  that 
are  too  great  for  utterance  in  words. 

After  the  meat  was  done,  and  the  ashcakes  washed, 
broken  in  pieces  and  placed  on  the  kneading  tray, 
mammy,  who  had  decided  that  the  young  master  should 
eat  alone  at  the  "  first  table,"  but  had  been  headed  oif  by 
the  young  man's  declaration  that  he  came  to  "break 
bread  "  with  and  not  before  them,  sent  the  two  children  to 
the  old  garden  spot  to  "  see  ef  dat  hoss  don't  git  his  belly 
full  an'  den  kick  up  his  heels  an'  leave,"  and  looking  out 
to  assure  herself  that  the  lank  animal  had  not  already 
played  the  young  master  that  shabby  trick,  she  put  the 
frying-pan  on  the  chest  and  announced  dinner. 

"  We's  fashionable  folks,  you  see,  honey,"  said  the  old 
woman,  placing  a  torn  quilt  to  soften  a  three-legged  stool 
for  the  young  master ;  "  since  de  war  we  has  late  break- 
fast, later  dinner,  and  supper  is  so  late  dat  we  goes  to 
bed  an'  forgets  to  have  it." 

As  the  three  dipped  their  bread  into  the  hot  grease  and 
dexterously  turned  it  about  to  avoid  a  loss  of  the  precious 
fluid  on  its  way  to  the  mouth,  mammy,  Avho  seemed  to  be 
going  through  the  ceremony  for  form's  sake,  while  Uncle 
George's  whole  being  seemed  absorbed  in  the  business, 
gave  the  young  man  a  brief  history  of  such  of  the  former 
slaves  as  she  had  been  able  to  hear  from.  When  she 
came  to  sj^eak  of  Marienne,  she  said : 


'f  r^TTrrx'/-.      mxTT:,     Ti.Tx^T,ro,   >> 


GIVING   THE   NEWS."  397 

"  I  has  hopes  dat  she's  livin'  yet,  but  clar  has  been  all 
sorts  o'  rumors  an'  some  said  dey  kilt  her  an'  some  said 
dey  done  her  wuss  'n  dat,  an'  some  said  she  got  away 
from  'em.      My  Henry  fetched  a  letter  from  Barrensville 
dat  he  said  was  for  me,  de  very  day  he  got  kilt.     We  all 
said  de  writiu'  looked  prim  like  marmsell  an'  we  was  sure 
'twas  from  her,  but  nobody  never  read  it,  for  I  was  des 
startin'  over  to  Mars'  Major  Anderson's,  to  get  Miss  Clare 
to  read  it,  when  dem  men  come  to  steal  de  cot'n  an'  we 
had  de  row  an'  got  all  de  place  burnt  up  agin.     You  see 
we  had  made  a  right  smart  o'  cot'n  wid  de  steers  an'  had 
done  ginned  de  lint  room  full,  an'  our  press  was  done 
'stroyed  at  de  fust  burnin',  an'  Henry  went  to  see  if  he 
could  git  it  baled  at  Mr.  Malone's  press  close  to  Barrens- 
ville, es  we  had  to  haul  it  dar,  anyhow,  to  sell,  an'  he  had 
done  made  de  'rangements,  an'  come  home  bringin'  dat 
letter,  an'  less  'n  two  hours  here  come  fo'  army  wagins 
an'  dey  said  de  gov'ment  was  gwine  to  have  de  cot'n  baled 
for  us,  an'  for  us  to  load  it  on  de  wagins.     Den  de  folks 
said  'twas  a  trick  to  rob  us  out  o'  de  cot'n,  an'  we  wouldn't 
have  nothin'  to  buv  close  an'  thino;s  for  de  winter :  an' 
dey  got  mad  an'  said  dey'd  die  befo'  anybody  should  haul 
dat  cot'n  way  from  dar.     Den  dis  ole  man  dat's  stuffin' 
hisself  wid  meat  an'  gravy  so  sanctymonious — an'  he  has 
done  eat  a  poun'  o'  meat  ef  he  has  eat  a  pinch,  like  dar 
never  was  no  meat  befo'  an'  never  would  be  no  meat  here- 
arter — an'  dis  same  ole  man  dat's  munchin'  his  jaws  like 
his  life  pended  on  it,  he  got  de  ole  nigger  up  in  him,  an' 
got  to  snortin'  an'  cavortin'  roun',  an'  one  o'  de  sosrers 
knocked  him   in   de  head   wid  de  but-'een  o'   his  ffun. 
Wid  dat  my  Henry — you  know  my  boys  w^on't   'low 
nobody  to  'pose  on  nobody,  'specially  ef  it's  dar  daddy,  an' 
niggers,  ginnerally,  is  got  a  heap  more  justice  in  em  dan 


398  HOME   AGAIN  ! 

some  white  fplks — well,  Heury  snatched  a  standard  oiit^n 
one  o'  de  wagins  an'  made  for  de  man  dat  hit  his  daddy, 
an'  he  run  in  de  lint  room,  dat  was  full  to  de  roof,  an' 
shot  Henry  dead  in  his  tracks.  But  dat  second  dat  de 
gun  flashed,  de  whole  lint  room  flashed  up  an'  dai  soger 
was  dead  befo'  my  po'  Henry  was.  Well,  de  tother 
sogers  got  on  de  wagins  an'  left  in  a  hurry,  an'  de  folks 
couldn't  git  de  man  out'n  de  fire,  a'  he  w^as  mo^t  burnt  up 
intirely.  De  folks  knowed  what  was  comin'  nex'  an'  dat 
dey'd  be  'cused  o'  killin  dat  man  an'  burnin'  'im  up,  an' 
dev  got  dere  bed-clo's  an'  things  an'  put  out  for  de  bot- 
tom, men,  women  an'  chil'n,  'cept  me  an'  Gyawge  an' 
dem  po'  little  chil'n  o'  Henry's.  Dey  'swaded  me  to 
go,  an'  said  dey'd  carry  Gyawge  on  a  bed,  but  he 
was  hurt  mighty  bad,  an'  I  was  feard  'twould  kill 
'im,  and  I  was  feard  dey'd  burn  my  po'  Henry's 
dead  body  for  ^  'taliation ' — dat's  what  dey  calls  it,  an' 
dat's  de  way  dey  wucks  it,  'taliates  on  folks  for  what  can't 
be  helped  an'  for  what  is  dar  own  fault — so  I  'termined 
not  to  leave.  Well,  dat  night  dey  come  swarmin'  an' 
ragin'  like  dey  did  dat  fust  night.  Dey  was  mighty  mad  ! 
Dey  burnt  all  de  huts  Gyawge  had  made  de  folks  build, 
an'  even  knocked  down  de  chimblys  dat  had  stood  'tother 
burnin'.  When  dey  come  I  had  laid  po'  Henry  out  an' 
I  made  dat  ole  man  play  dead  too  ;  an'  for  all  he's  stuf- 
fin'  meat  an'  gravy  so  lively  now,  like  he  never  'spects 
to  see  no  mo'  'till  de  day  'o  judgment,  he  played  dead 
wuss'n  a  'possum.  Well,  dat  saved  dis  po'  ole  shanty, 
for  when  I  tole  'em  I  was  gwine  to  stay  in  dar,  an'  dey 
could  burn  me  up  if  dey  wanted  to,  a  man  wid  a  sode  tol' 
'em  to  go  'way  from  dar  if  dey  wan't  de  born  chil'n  of 
de  ole  boy  hisself.  an'  den  dey  lemme  'lone. 

"  Nex'  day  dey  come  an'  hunt  for  de  folks  in  de  bot- 


^'how  they  lived.'  399 

torn,  an'  ketched  'em  most  all.  De  men  dey  put  in  de 
army,  an'  de  wimmin  dey  put  in  de  houses  at  Barrens- 
ville  dat  dey  driv'  de  white  folks  out'n,  an  'gin  'em  rations 
an'  things. 

"  But  for  your  ma's  brother,  your  good  uncle,  Mars' 
Major  Anderson,  an'  I  know  dar's  a  crown  for  him  in 
glory,  me  an'  Gyawge  an'  dem  po'  little  chil'n  would  o' 
starved  ;  for  dis  ole  man  ain't  been  fitt'n  for  nothin'  since. 
Mars'  Major  sont  us  a  bushel  o'  meal  every  week,  an' 
when  he  got  any  meat  he  sont  us  some  o'  dat ;  an'  dat's 
de  reason,  young  marster,  honey,  dat  we's  here  an'  able 
to  dip  in  de  gravy  wid  you  dis  blessed  day,  while  our 
hearts  is  hangin'  on  de  cross  o'  agony  at  de  'membrance 
of  all  de  troubles,  an'  at  seein'  de  sainted  ole  mistises  baby 
fetched  down  to  dis  ! " 

Again  the  poor  old  woman — whose  eyes  had  frequently 
exuded  tears  slowly,  while  Uncle  George  would  bite  his 
meat  savagely  and  chew  it  viciously,  as  if  he  were  a  can- 
nibal, and  knew  it  to  be  Turchin  and  his  whole  brigade — 
threw  her  apron  over  her  head,  and  commenced  her  croon- 
ing moan. 

"  Cheer  up,  old  woman,  you  dear  old  soul ! "  said  the 
young  man,  cheerily,  springing  to  his  feet  and  taking 
Uncle  George's  pipe  out  of  a  chink  in  the  cabin,  "  I  am 
worth  a  dozen  dead  paupers  yet.  You  wait  and  see ! 
But  Dick  will  be  here  presently,  and  I  know  you  and 
Uncle  George  want  to  hold  a  camp-meeting  over  him,  so* 
I'll  go  over  to  uncle's.  I  am  dying  to  see .  my  little 
cousins  once  more.     Has  uncle  any " 

"Yes,  honey,"  said  the  old  woman,  answering  the  ques- 
tion he  hesitated  to  put  into  words,  "  he's  got  meat  an' 
bread  bofe,  an'  I  'speck  he's  got  some  coifee  an'  things  by  dis 
time.     He's  fared  better'n  most  o'  de  big  white  fokes,  but 


400  HOME   AGAIN  ! 

dey^s  been  cold  an^  hongry  many  a  time.  De  Yankees 
took  or  tore  up  all  de  beds  an'  things,  but  he's  got  two 
beds  an'  some  extra  blankets  he  got  since  de  s'rendr." 

As  the  young  man's  E-osinante  proved  not  to  have 
shown  himself  the  base  ingrate  which  mammy  suspected 
him  as  being,  he  mounted  him  and  struck  out  through 
the  tall  weeds  in  a  straight  line  for  his  uncle's,  just  as 
Dick  made  his  appearance  on  what  was  once  the  east 
road.  We  will  not  enroach  upon  the  ^'camp-meeting" 
scenes  inaugurated  by  Dick's  arrival.  The  Caucasian 
cannot  look  upon  the  African  in  his  true  character,  when 
free  from  the  restraint  of  a  superior  presence,  without 
being  amused  at  his  abject  surrender  to  every  emotion 
.  and  impulse  of  feeling,  and  it  is,  therefore,  manifestly 
improper  that  he  should  look  upon  those  scenes  that 
break  up  the  deepest  fountains  of  feeling  in  his  simple 
bosom. 

After  it  was  all  over,  Dick  declared  that  the  house  was 
too  close  for  an  old  soldier,  and  made  a  fire  out  in  front 
of  the  door,  after  the  darkness  had  begun  to  gather 
around.  All  sat  near  and  listened  to  his  wonderful  tales 
of  battle,  blood  and  death,  till  mammy  felt  assured  that 
her  boy  was  a  veritable  hero.  Uncle  George,  that  he  car- 
ried a  charmed  life,  and  the  little  nephew  and  niece,  with 
eyes  bulged  out  and  mouth  agape,  wondered  if  this  might 
not  be  the  misrhtv  man  of  old  who  slew  the  Philistines. 
•  "  An'  you  ain't  bin  a  totin'  no  cannon  balls  around 
inside  o'  you,"  queried  mammy,  "es  your  daddy  said 
you'd  be  ?  " 

"  No'm ;  an'  not  much  o'  anything  else,  for  de  bes' 
part  o'  de  time  !  Bless  de  Lawd,  if  dem  cannon  balls  had 
o'  bin  Dutch  cheeses,  an'  we  could  o'  got  'em  inside  o'  us 
by  de  right  road,  we'd  bin  fightin'  dar  till  yet ! " 


"  E   PLUEIBUS   UNUM  !"  401 

Just  at  this  moment  a  shrill  whistle  was  heard,  some 
distance  out  in  the  darkness,  and  a  strong  voice  called ; 

"  Corporal  o'  de  gyard  !     Pos^  number  one  ! " 

"  Who's  dat?  "  shouted  Dick,  jumping  to  his  feet,  and 
laying  his  hand  upon  the  hilt  of  a  sabre-bayonet,  which 
he  had  ^  captured  honestly  ^  in  Virginia,  and  had  avoM^ed 
his  determination  to  wear  during  the  remainder  of  his 
natural  life. 

"  FrenY'  replied  the  voice. 

"  Stop  dar,  fren',  an'  give  de  countersine  ! " 

"  Capn'  Dick  Anderson  Styode  !  "  responded  the  voice. 

"  Dat's  pretty  good  es  fur  es  it  goes,  but  'twont  pass 
you.     Blate  agin  ! '' 

"  Sudgent  Peter  Dillard  !     How's  dat  ?  '' 

"Pretty  good,  Br'er  Peter — howdy  !  but  stan'  dar ! 
Which  side  is  you  on  ?  " 

"  ^  He  Plurisbuster  Ukerum  ! '  is  de  motto  on  our  flag." 

"  I  don't  know  nothin'  bout  no  outlandish  motters  ! 
Who's  you  fitin'  for  ?  " 

"  John  Brown's  sole  ! " 

"  Well,  Stan'  dar  !  Halt !  Dat's  what  we's  bin  a  fitin' 
agin',  an'  it  got  de  under  holt  on  us,  didn't  play  fair,  an' 
scrambled  roun'  till  it  got  our  back  on  de  groun'  an'  we 
had  to  s'render.  I's  bin  mad  ever  since,  an'  I  never  will 
be  in  a  rale  good  humor  agin  ef  some  o'  'em  don't  s'render 
to  me.  So  pull  out  a  white  flag,  Br'er  Peter,  an' 
knock  under,  ef  you  don't  want  dis  sode  to  tickle  your 
haslet ! " 

"  All  right,"  said  Peter,  flourishing  a  dingy  handker- 
chief. "  I  surrenders  to  Cap'n  Dick  Anderson  Styode  an' 
dat  sode.     I  always  was  feared  o'  cold  steel ! " 

After  much  handshaking  and  mutual  congratulations, 
Uncle  George  inquired,  very  soberly  : 


402  HOME   AGAIN  ! 

"  Petei^  you  made  a  mighty  good  beginnin^,  but  what 
made  you  turn  again  us  and  fite  on  t'other  side  ? '' 

"  AYell,  you  see,  dey  said  dey  was  fightin',  bleedin'  an' 
dyin'  an'  stroyin'  munny,  all  for  de  good  o'  de  niggers, 
an'  we  ought  to  help  'em.  An'  'sides  dat  dey  had  me  in 
a  mighty  tight  place,  'cused  o'  killin'  dat  soger,  an'  I  was 
afeared  dey'd  stretch  my  neck.  But  es  for  fightin',  does 
you  'member  how  I  knocked  'em  seven  ways  for  Sunday, 
dat  day  here  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  AYell,  dats  de  onlyest  fightin'  I  has  done  in  dis  war, 
'cept  de  nex'  night,  an'  a  little  scrimmage  nex'  day  at 
Barrensville,  when  dey  tried  to  strip  Marmsell,  an'  killed 
po'  Fox,  an'  beat  Mr.  Deadrick's  brains  out.'' 

'^  Well,  what  you  do  in  de  war  den  ?  " 

"Do  !  I  done  what  de  rest  of  'em  done  !  I  went  for 
de  silver  spoons,  an'  w^atches,  an'  things  es  big  es  anybody  ! 
An'  I  sold  'em  an'  sont  de  most  o'  de  munny  to  my  ole 
mistis  for  her  an'  de  folks  to  git  along  on  !  What  did 
you  speck  I  done?" 

"  Well,  well,  well !  "  said  mammy,  musingly.  "  Polly 
Dillard  tole  me  you  w^as  keepin'  'em  all  from  starvin'  an' 
dat  her  ole  mistis  was  wonderin'  ef  all  dat  munny  was 
hones'  munny." 

"  Hones'  munnv  ! "  exclaimed  Peter,  with  some  show 
of  indignation,  "  of  course  'twas  hones'  munny  !  'Twas 
war  munny,  an  I  spose  dat's  hones'  munny  !  Everybody 
— preachers  an'  all — was  grabbin'  for  all  dey  could  git, 
an'  I'd  like  to  know  what  'twas  ef  'twant  hones'  munny  ! 
Look  at  dat ! "  and  the  negro  displayed  a  lady's  watch  of 
medium  size,  encrusted  with  small  diamonds,  set  in  beau- 
tiful and  elaborate  designs  of  sprays  and  flowers.  "  Dat's 
for  de  ole  mistis  !  " 


"  A    COLORED    BUMMER."  403 

"  Where  did  it  come  from,  Br'er  Peter  ?  "  asked  Dick, 
taking  the  watch  in  his  hand  and  examining  it  by  the 
firelight,  while  his  eyes  fairly  glistened  with  the  forbidden 
passion  of  covetousness. 

"  Down  in  Gyawgy,  man  ! "  replied  Peter,  enthusias- 
tically, as  he  noticed  Dick's  unconcealable  display  of  the 
evil  passion.  "  Ef  I'd  o'  bin  able  to  save  all  I  got,  dar'd 
o'  bin'  enough  to  buy  out  a  steamboat ! " 

"  Br'er  Peter,"  said  Dick,  sadly,  "  lookin'  at  dat  watch 
makes  me  feel  lonesome  !  It  makes  me  feel  sort  o'  mad 
an'  sort  o'  sorry  !  We  had  so  many  good  chances  to  git 
everv'ting  in  de  worl'  !  But  Mars'  Uncle  Robert  told  us 
to  'have  ourselves,  an'  we  'bayed  orders  ! " 

"  Well,"  responded  Peter,  as  if  feeling  called  on  to 
defend  his  character  as  a  disciplined  soldier.  "  So  did  we 
'bay  orders  !  Ole  Bill,  es  we  calls  'im,  told  us  to  forage 
liberal,  an'  you  bet  we  'bayed  orders  ! " 

"  But,  whar  was  all  de  officers  ?  "  asked  Dick,  enviously ; 
"  de  cap'ns  an'  kurnels  an'  sich,  when  you  all  was  gittin' 
de  watches  an'  things  ?  " 

"  Officers  bedoged,"  replied  Peter  contemptuously ; 
"cap'ns  an'  kurnels  !  Oh  Lordy  !  An'  sides  dat,  wan't 
Die  Bill  de  head  boss  o'  all  de  officers  ! " 

"  Well,  well !  "  exclaimed  Dick,  slapping  his  knee  for 
emphasis  to  what  he  was  about  to  say,  "  Mars'  Uncle 
Robert  is  de  greates'  man  dat  ever  lived,  or  ever  will  live, 
not  even  excusin'  ole  marster  dat  dey  kilt  in  ole  Ferginny, 
but  ef  we  ever  has  another  war,  I  wants,  when  we  goes 
into  Pennsylvany,  an'  dem  big,  rich  countries,  for  Mars' 
Uncle  Robert  to  take  holiday  an'  let  some  old  Bill,  Tom, 
or  Harrv,  be  de  head  boss  o'  de  officers  !  Dat's  all  I 
wants  !     It'll  be  ^  oh  Lordy '  den,  sho'  'nuff ! " 

"  Did  you  all  go  into  Pennsylvany  an'  dem  big  rich 


404  HOME   AGAIN  ! 

countries,  an'  didn't  git  no  watches,  an'  jewelry,  an'  spoons, 
nor  nothin',"  asked  Peter,  compassionately. 

^^  Nary  watch,  nor  jewel,  nor  spoon,  nor  nothin' ! " 
replied  Dick,  sadly.  ^^But,"  he  added,  firing  up, 
^^you  des  ought  o'  seed  de  guns,  an'  de  cannons, 
an  de  sodes,  an'  de  dead  hosses  and  sogers  dat  we  got, 
man  !  Oh  man  ! "  he  continued,  becoming  enthused  with 
his  subject,  "  I  has  marched  over  'em  scattered  for 
miles  on  top  o'  miles  !  Thick  es  co'n  stalks  in  de  field  ! 
Knapsacks,  haversacks,  canteens,  blankets  an'  hats ! 
Ba'nets,  guns,  sodes,  pistols,  cannons  an'  cay  sons  !  Boxes 
on  top  o'  boxes,  full  of  ammernition,  physic,  doctors'-tools 
an'  sich.  Wagon  loads  on  top  o'  wagon  load  o'  tents, 
gum-blankets,  clo'es,  boots  an'  shoes,  canned-vidles,  sugar, 
pickles.  Bibles,  preserves,  playin' -cards,  sardines,  love- 
letters,  hard-tack  an'  things  !  Salem  camp-grouns  on  top 
o'  Salem  camp-grouns  full  o'  dead  sogers,  dead  hosses,  busted 
caysons,  captured  cannons,  harness,  wheels,  drums,  amber- 
lanches,  brass-horns,  wagins,  tin-pans,  blackin'-brushes, 
spy-glasses,  an'  everything !  Mixed  an'  messed  up 
everywhar  an'  which  way,  every  sort  of  fashion,  worP 
widout  'een ! " 

^^  An'  who  slcAved  all  o'  dem  things?  "  asked  Peter,  gazing 
at  his  enthused  companion  with  unconcealed  admiration. 

"  We  all !  "  responded  Dick,  proudly.  "  Me  an'  Mars' 
Chyarles,  an  Mars'  Uncle  Robert,  an'  de  boys  !" 

"  An'  den,"  said  Peter,  musingly,  "  arter  you  slewed  all 
dem  sogers  an'  things,  you  all  marched  whar  dar  want 
nothin'  but  wimmin  an'  chil'n  an'  ole  men,  or  young  men 
dat  was  feard  to  fite,  an'  didn't  git  no  plunder  ?  " 

"  Nary  plun  !  "  said  Dick,  regretfully.  ^'  ^Mars'  Uncle 
Robert  an'  all  de  officers  said  'twas  robbin',  an'  we  thought 
dey  knowed  best." 


/ 


"doing  the  fair  thing."  405 

Peter  hung  his  head  for  a  full  minute  in  deep  thought, 
while  ever  and  anon  his  side-wise  glance  sought  Dick, 
who,  with  his  back  to  the  fire,  and  a  coat  skirt  under  each 
arm,  in  true  Old  Virginia  fashion,  was  gazing  sadly  out 
into  the  darkness.  Finally,  Peter  seemed  to  have  formed 
a  high  resolve,  and  fumbling  in  his  pocket,  he  exclaimed  : 

"  Look  here,  Dick  !     I's  done  surrendered  to  you,  ain't 

I?" 

"  Yes,''  said  Dick,  turning  to  face  his  companion,  "  to 

me  an'  dis  sode." 

"  An'  I's  your  prisoner,  ain't  I  ?  " 

"  AVell,  it  'pears  dat  way  to  me  an'  dis  sode  !  " 

"Yes;    Ps  your  prisoner.      Here,  take  dis  watch!" 

exclaimed  Peter,  thrusting  the  sparkling   treasure    into 

Dick's  face. 

"  What !  "  exclaimed  DickJ  in  amazement. 

"  Yes  !  take  dat  watch  !  It's  your'n,  I  say  !  Dat's  far. 
We  made  our  prisoners  give  up  all  dey  had,  an'  I  ain't  a 
nigger  dat  don't  practice  what  I  preaches.  Since  I  come 
to  think  on  it,  I  don't  speck  my  ole  mistis  would  have  it, 
nohow !  an'  ef  you  wants  to  you  can  give  it  to  Jane, 
when  you  an'  her  gits  married.     Is  dat  all  right  ! " 

"  You  bet,  man  ! "  exclaimed  Dick,  standing  on  one 
foot,  and  "  cutting  the  pigeon's  wing "  with  the  other 
thrust  out  behind  him,  w4iile  he  turned  the  sparkling 
trinket  about  to  admire  its  glitter  in  the  fire-light. 

"  Ole  'oman,"  said  Peter,  addressing  mammy.  "  I  likes 
Dick  ;  his  got  hones'  principles ;  but  I  know  ef  he'd  o' 
bin  in  our  army,  he'd  forgot  'em,  an'  done  es  bad  es  I 
done.  A  nigger  will  be  a  nigger,  but  you  know  dat 
'taint  in  de  nater  of  em,  to  do  no  big  robbin'  an'  plun- 
derin',  'cept  dey's  lead  into  it.  Dar's  mighty  few  of  'em 
dat  won't  keep  from  bein'  cold  an'   hungry,  no  matter 


406  HOME  again! 

who  owns  de  things  dafll  warm  'em,  an'  fill  'em  up  ;  but 
68  for  big  devilment ;  taint  in  'em.  It's  agin  dar  natur, 
onless  dey's  lead  into  it  by  white  folkes,  or  de  sperrits  o' 
evil  in  de  form  o'  white  fokes.  Dick  ain't  never  bin 
tempted  once  !  He's  a  lucky  nigger,  an'  when  he  marries 
Jane,  maby  it'll  bring  luck  into  my  fambly.  I  knowed 
all  de  time  in  Gyawgy  an'  de  Car'lina  dat  de  right  sperrit 
wan't  in  me,  an'  I  has  felt  like  fitin'  many  a  time,  when  I 
has  seed  sogers  snatchin'  yearrings  an'  things  from  ladies 
dat  'minded  me  of  our  own  white  fokes.  Ef  'twas  right, 
war  is  a  miditv  nice  thing; — I  mean  our  sort,  not  de  sort 
Dick's  bin  in — an'  I  would'nt  mind  keepin'  on  at  it,  but 
I  couldn't  help  thinkin'  sometimes  when  I'd  go  back  to  a 
house  we  had  robbed  an'  maby  'bused  de  folks,  an'  find  de 
wimmin  an'  chil'n  lookin'  hongry  an'  cold,  an'  maby 
cryin',  dat  it  was  sort  o'  hard  on  dem.  But  de  motto 
in  Ole  Bill's  army  was  :  '  It's  more  blessed  to  rob,  dan  to 
be  robbed,'  an'  dat  looks  like  it  had  reason  in  it  an'  good 
sense  too,  till  you  come  to  'member  if  anybody  robs,  den 
somebody  has  got  to  be  robbed,  an'  dat  all  can't  be  blessed 
alike  in  dat. 

^^  But  I  must  be  movin'  on.  I  ain't  bin  home  yet. 
Saw  your  fire  an'  thought  I'd  pay  my  'spects.  Come, 
Dick,  boy  !  go  home  wid  me  !  I  know  you  wants  to 
show  Jane  dat  watch,  an'  talk  'bout  de  moon  an'  stars  !  " 

"  Mammy,"  said  Dick,  dusting  himself  with  his  hands. 
"  I  thought  I'd  wait  till  mornin',  but  I  know  Jane'd  like 
to  see  dis  watch." 

"  Go  long,  boy,"  said  mammy,  playfully  striking  at  him ; 
"  you's  de  same  cymlin'-headed  nigger  dat  you  use  to  be. 
Jane'd  ruther  see  you  dan  a  bushel  o'  dem  jimci%ck 
watches  ! " 


CHAPTER  XXV. 
Beginxixg  Anew. 

"Cover  the  ancient  picture  f 

Its  lesson  is  conned  and  known, 
Forever  hurst  is  the  stricture 
That  bound  the  people  down  /" 

— E.  S.  Gregory's  Hieroglyphic. 

"  The  lo7'd  is  on  the  level 

With  all  his  f&i^mer  fiefs, 
And  shadows  of  the  devil 

Steal  o'er  the  hieroglyphs  !  " 

— The  Same. — Another  Version. 

A  FEW  days  after  Mr.  Stewart's  arrival  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  his  destroyed  home,  wagon  loads  of 
lumber  commenced  to  arrive  at  the  plantation,  and  all  the 
idle  negroes  in  the  vicinity,  who  were  willing  to  work, 
were  put  into  the  woods  to  gti  out  timbers  for  new  cabins, 
stables,  a  gin-house  and  press,  and  to  "  maul  '^  rails  to  enclose 
the  wild  waste  of  fertile  fields.  Carpenters  were  employed, 
brick  masons  were  hunted  up  and  put  to  work,  and  before 
Mr.  Conrad  arrived,  bringing  something  over  ten  thousand 
dollars,  in  addition  to  the  two  thousand  sent  bv  check  on 
a  New  Orleans  bank,  all  the  cash  in  Mr.  Stewart's  hands, 
amounting  to  nearly  three  thousand  dollars,  had  been 
paid  out  for  labor,  materials  and  supplies,  all  of  which, 
particularly  the  latter,  could  be  had  only  at  ruinously 
high  prices. 

The  negroes  seemed  to  think  that  freedom  meant  only 

407 


408  BEGINNING   ANEW.  ^ 

exemption  from  labor  and  exertion  of  any  kind,  and 
many,  particularly  those  who  had  been  quartered  and  fed 
at  Barrens ville,  Hunts ville,  Decatur  and  other  adjacent 
posts,  were  looking  forward,  with  idle  and  patient  indiffer- 
ence, to  the  time,  when,  by  some  mysterious  means,  they 
did  not  know  or  trouble  themselves  to  inquire  what,  they 
\/  should  be  possessed  of  fine  clothing,  horses  and  carriages, 
and  live  like  ^^  white  fokes.'^  Numbers  of  them  refused 
to  work  on  any  terms.  They  could  see  no  difference, 
under  the  teachings  of  that  ^'matchless  benevolence" 
which  had  already  begun  the  fearful  task  of  firing  the 
simple  hearts  of  the  former  slaves  against  their  former 
masters,  between  "  being  a  nigger  for  pay  '^  and  being  a 
slave  under  the  outlawed  statutes  of  a  defunct  common- 
wealth ;  and  the  few  of  the  better  and  more  intelligent 
class,  who  were  willing  to  help  redeem  the  country  from 
waste,  demanded  the  most  exorbitant  prices  for  any  labor 
but  that  done  in  the  field  "■  for  sheers,"  which  was  not 
deemed  to  be  "unbecoming  to  freemen,"  provided  the 
white  people  fed  and  groomed  the  stock.  The  "  matchless 
benevolence  of  a  quick  forgiving  foe"  sought  to  inspire 
the  negro  with  the  dignity  of  a  Roman  Senator  before  he 
had  acquired  the  necessary  self-reliance  to  earn  a  shirt  to 
cover  his  nakedness. 

Mr.  Stewart  found  other  difficulties  in  his  way  at  the 
outset.  The  fcAV  of  his  former  slaves  whom  he  had  been 
able  to  find,  attended  cheerfully,  as  of  old,  to  all  the 
menial  duties  of  the  plantation ;  but  the  hired  common 
laborers  who  were  "  mauling  rails  "  and  cleaning  up  and 
clearing  off  the  fields,  mutinied  when  he  hired  skilled 
labor — carpenters  and  bricklayers — and  paid  them  three 
dollars  per  day  ;  just  double  what  he  was  paying  them- 
selves.    They  represented  that  the  day  of  general  equality 


'^EMANCIPATION   PROCLAMATION  NO.  2."  409 

had  come,  that  their  wages  must  be  raised  to  three  dollars 
per  day  and  that  "  'scrimination  in  de  payin^  o'  wages 
tends  to  stick  up  some  o'  de  human  fambly,  an'  to  'stablish 
a  new  sort  o'  haristockry  more  ojious  dan  dem  what  de 
nation  fit,  bled  an'  died  to  bust  up/'  This  sentiment  was 
delivered  by  the  orator  of  the  striking  laborers,  and  as 
they  left  the  yard,  after  having  been  told  by  Mr.  Stewart 
that  he  had  no  further  use  for  them,  one  congratulated  the 
proud  speaker  with  the  remark,  ^^  Tell  you.  Buck,  de  boss 
o'  de  Leao-ue  couldn't  o'  said  it  better  his  own  self ! " 

But  Dick's  wise  political  economy  solved  the  knotty 
problem  and  brought  peace^  into  the  camp. 

"  Mars'  Chyarles,"  he  said,  that  night,  ^^  es  Br'er  Peter 
says,  *  a  nigger  is  gwine  to  be  a  nigger,  dead  or  'live,  slave 
or  free,'  an'  me  an'  him  has  done  put  our  heads  together, 
an'  we  is  gwine  to  play  de  'mancipation  proclamation 
game  on  'em.  'Course  we  can't  'ford  to  pay  dem  grubbers 
three  dollars  a  day  for  dat  sort  o'  wuck,  an'  es  we  can't 
put  dem  up  to  de  cyar|)enters,  we's  gwine  to  pull  de  cyar- 
penters  down  to  dem.  So  we  want  you  an'  Mars'  Frank 
Conrad  to  issue  'mancipation  proclamation  number  two, 
dat  you  wont  pay  no  nigger  more'n  one  dollar'n  a  half 
a  day  for  nuthin',  not  even  ef  he  was  de  boss  cyarpenter 
on  de  temple  o'  freedom.  You  'tend  to  dat  an'  me'n 
Br'er  Peter  '11  fix  de  balance  an'  we  wont  lose  nary  cyar- 
penter nor  nuthin',  an'  we'll  have  all  o'  dem  grubbers 
prancin'  back  here ;  for  grub  is  gittin'  mighty  scace  wid 
'em,  since  de  Buro  has  done  quit  flingin'  out  de  rashuns 
so  liberal." 

This  plan  worked  like  a  charm,  and  soon  Dick  had  his 
usual  complement  of  over  thirty  common  laborers,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  six  carpenters  and  masons.  But  he  drew  every 
Saturday  afternoon  a   secret   service   fund   of  fifty-four 

25 


410  BEGIXXIXG   AXEW. 

dollars,  and  that  night  he  and  the  skilled  laborers  would 
hold  a  "  league  meeting  ^^  all  to  themselves.  So  every- 
thing went  merrily  and  briskly  forward,  and  before  the 
frosts  of  November  had  shed  their  gold  and  purple 
upon  the  forests,  comfortable  cabins,  a  large  gin-house, 
a  press,  and  commodious  stables  had  been  erected,  and  a 
good  substantial  dwelling  stood  upon  the  former  site 
of  "  The  Oaks^^  mansion ;  while  the  thousand  and  odd  acres 
of  cleared  land  had  been  enclosed,  grubbed  and  partly 
cleaned  off,  and  fifteen  double  ploughs  were  tearing  the 
four-year-old  green-brier  roots,  preparatory  to  getting  the 
land  into  condition  to  make  a  crop  the  next  year. 

"  Stewart,^^  said  Mr.  Conrad,  one  pleasant  November 
afternoon,  as  they  sat  on  the  front  porch,  looking  at  the 
busy  raking  and  burning  of  weeds  and  briers,  going  on  in 
the  distance  ahead  of  the  ploughs,  "  I  like  this  country, 
its  soil,  climate  and  people,  and  I  feel  quite  sure  I  shall 
enjoy  the  simple  easy  life  of  a  well-to-do  planter.  It  is 
pleasant  to  watch  these  laborers,  and  to  hear  their  songs 
and  shouts  while  at  work,  and  the  busy  bustle  which  they 
make  about  the  stables  and  quarters,  morning,  noon  and 
night,  but  there  is  one  thing  which  I  do  not  like. 
'  Mammy,^  dear  old  soul,  is  an  excellent  housekeeper,  and 
quite  a  character  as  an  aristocrat  among  the  colored 
people,  but  the  house  looks  lonely  without  the  presence 
of  a  lady.  One  can  hardly  throw  off  the  feeling  of  unrest 
which  belongs  to  camp  life,  and  feel  that  he  is  really 
anchored  and  in  no  dano^er  of  receivino;  orders  to  march. 
You  have  not  divulged  to  me  the  secrets  of  the  letter 
which  you  received  last  night,  and  which  I  know,  has 
given  you  joy  as  well  as  pain,  and  I  have  determined  to 
get  rid  of  you  for  a  month  or  two,  if  possible.  Let  us 
look  at  the  prospects  around  us.     We  have  a  well-stocked 


"forebodings  of  evil."  411 

plantation,  a  sufficiency  of  provisions  and  forage,  and  are 
greatly  better  off  than  any  other  planters  in  the  country. 
We  shall  make  next  year,  at  least  three  hundred  bales  of 
cotton,  worth,  at  less  than  present  prices,  say,  thirty  thousaud 
dollars.  One  half  to  the  labor,  leaves  us  fifteen  thousand, 
and  one  third  of  that  for  current  expenses,  leaves  us  a  net 
income  of  ten  thousand.  That  is  a  safe  calculation  and 
not  a  bad  showing,  and  we  have  enough  cash  on  hand  to 
spare,  say,  two  thousand  dollars  for  a  trip  to  Europe.''^ 

"  Ah !  my  friend,"  said  Mr.  Stewart,  sadly,  "  think  of 
the  tortures  of  Tantalus,  and  spare  me.  The  joy  which 
my  letter  gave  me  was  the  assurance  that  one  of  the 
best  friends  I  have  on  earth  is  alive  and  well.  You 
have  heard  me  speak  of  ^larienne  D'  Elfons,  and 
know  of  the  efforts  I  have  made,  by  inquiries  through 
the  mail,  to  learn  something  of  her  fate.  The  letter  is 
from  herself,  and  it  brings  me  tidings  of  Miss  Seymour 
also.  Your  cousin,  while  she  cannot  now  marry  me,  will 
never  marry  any  other.     That  thought  must  content  me, 

and  be  the  chief  element  of  my  happiness  for years. 

And,  besides,  we  should  be  acting  unwisely,  considering 
the  present  unsettled  condition  of  the  country,  to  expend 
one  dollar  more  than  is  absolutely  necessary.  Your  state- 
ment of  the  outlook  would  be  a  safe  one  to  count  on, 
were  it  not  for  the  fact  that  agencies  are  being  brought  to 
bear,  whose  influence  you  have  not  considered,  and  which 
cannot  yet  be  calculated,  but  which  make  Flournoy's 
advice  to  us,  'not  to  enumerate  our  spring  chickens 
before  king  frost  and  the  setting  hen  have  settled  the 
matter  of  incubation,  and  the  weasels  have  had  their 
showing  at  the  adolescent  poultry,'  words  of  the  pro- 
foundest  wisdom." 

*'  But  no  adverse  human  agencies  can  be  brought  to 


412  BEGINNING   ANEW. 

bear  to  prevent  eight  hundred  acres  of  this  fertile  land 
from  producing,  at  the  lowest  calculation,  three  hundred 
bales  of  cotton  !  ^' 

"  Only  favorable  human  agency  can  make  those  fertile 
acres  produce  one  pound  of  cotton.  That  useful  emblem, 
of  civilization  is  like  civilization  itself.  It  requires  culti- 
vation. If  the  ^  spirit  of  universal  freedom  ^  shall  prevent 
the  destruction  of  the  weeds  and  briers,  which  lusty  nature 
causes  to  spring  up,  then  the  tender  germs  from  the  seeds 
we  shall  sow  will  wither  and  perish  without  fruiting,  as 
did  the  ancient  civilization  of  the  mound-builders  and 
cave  and  cliif-dwellers,  of  which  we  have  no  token  except 
such  as  their  physical  labor  left.'' 

"  But  we  have  already  secured  the  labor  that  is  to  pro- 
tect our  ^  civilization  '  from  the  weeds  of  '  universal  free- 
dom.' In  the  vegetable  kingdom,  at  least,  my  motto 
shall  be,  '  down  with  freedom,'  where  it  wars  upon  civili- 
zation !     Cotton  blossoms  before  ragweeds,  forever  ! " 

"Your  abolition  poet,  John  R.  Lowell,  tells  us  that 
weeds  are  blossoms,  only  our  purblind  visions  cannot  see 
them  so." 

"  Then  I  shall  have  to  amend  my  motto,  and  say. 
'  The  cotton  blossoms  of  civilization  before  the  ragwort 
blossoms  of  universal  and  untrammeled  freedom  forever !'" 

"  Yes,  and  unless  I  mistake  the  signs  of  the  times,  the 
instinct  of  self-preservation  will  soon  force  us  to  leave 
this  country,  or  to  apply  your  motto  to  the  political  and 
social  relations  around  us." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  That  the  negroes,  so  far  from  feeling  grateful  to  us 
for  using  our  money  to  provide  good  homes,  and  the 
means  of  subsistence  for  them,  are  being  made  to  feel 
angry,  because  we  shall  derive  profit  from  their  labor. 


"plotters  again  at  work/'  413 

They  are  being  blinded  to  the  mutuality  of  dependence  in 
our  new  relations,  as  in  the  old ;  and  are  being  taught 
that  they  will  be  grievously  wronged  if  we  shall 
be  enabled,  without  physical  toil,  to  live  upon  the 
proceeds  of  their  labor,  in  a  style  which  they  cannot 
imitate.  As  a  people,  they  are  not  endowed  with 
a  liberal  share  of  the  reasoning  faculty.  The  arguments 
which  are  used  upon  them  by  the  adventurers  from 
among  the  camp-followers  of  the  Federal  armies,  or  by 
the  gentle  spirits,  who  did  not  get  ^fighting  mad,'  as 
Dick  expresses  it,  and  come  South  until  after  the  close  of  the 
war,  when  clinched  by  the  assertion,  that  they  '  fought 
bled  and  died,'  for  the 'poor  down-trodden  slave,'  are 
simply  unanswerable  to  their  simple  minds.  Freedom,  is 
an  accomplished  fact,  which  they  can  understand ;  and 
they  can  understand,  also,  that  the  military  power  of  the 
government  gave  them  their  freedom,  after  a  long  and 
bloody  war,  in  which  countless  thousands  of  lives  were 
sacrificed.  Beyond  these  two  simple  facts  their  simple 
minds  find  only  chaos  ;  and  those  who,  in  order  to  accom- 
plish selfish  ends,  have  gone,  and  shall  go  among  them, 
to  poison  their  minds  against  the  white  people  of  the 
South,  and  change  the  love  which  they  have  heretofore 
entertained  for  their  owners  to  hatred,  will  find  them 
unable  to  combat  even  the  most  absurd  arguments  or 
statements — the  most  supremely  ridiculous  assertions, 
that  are  backed  by  the  solemn  assurance  that  the  mly 
plotter,  *  shed  his  blood  and  treasure '  only  on 
account  of  a  disinterested  love  for  the  poor  slaves,  whom 
the  'Heaven-defying  hell-hounds  of  the  South'  had 
robbed  of  their  '  God-given  freedom.'  My  ante  helium 
experience  with  those  malevolent  spirits,  was  such  as  to 
cause  me  to  feel  now  that  our  sole  hope  for  the  preserva- 


,/ 


414  BEGINNING   ANEW. 

tion  of  peace  and  quiet,  and  the  safety  of  our  prop- 
erty and  persons,  lies  in  such  forbearance  of  the  former 
slaves  as  the  principles  of  Christianity,  which  we  labored 
to  instil  into  their  hearts  and  minds,  shall  lead  them  to 
exercise,  despite  the  evil  influences  surrounding  them — 
in  this  and  in  our  own  forbearance  and  courage/^ 

"  Then  you  think  John  Brown's  soul  is  still  '  marching 
on, '  ^'  laughed  Mr.  Conrad,  "  and  is  still  bent  upon  the 
villainy  that  caused  it  to  be  freed  from  its  earthly  taber- 
nacle, eh?'^ 

"  Yes ;  and  that  philanthropic  spirit  has  us  at  a  disad- 
vantage at  last,  without  armor,  shield  or  buckler  !  We 
hope  for  no  mercy  from  the  philanthropic  huntsmen,  and 
must  curry  favor  with  the  pack.  Those  that  cannot  be 
won  over  again  must  be  intimidated  !  '^ 

"But  suppose  you  should  not  succeed  in  doing  either?" 

"  Never  fear !  '^  exclaimed  the  young  man,  while  a 
sparkle  as  from  a  slumbering  fire  arose  to  his  eyes  for  a 
moment.  "  Our  forefathers  did  not  sacrifice  their  blood  for 
this  beautiful  country,  and  give  New  England  their  gold 
for  slaves  to  cut  down  its  forests  in  order  that  they  might 
rear  a  pusillanimous  progeny  who  would  suffer  the  rep- 
resentives  of  their  gold,  backed  by  its  philanthropic  re- 
ceivers, to  drive  them  from  their  birth-right.  This 
is  our  country,  and  when  we  cease  to  rule  it,  it  will  be  a 
howling  wilderness ! " 

"  Ah !  my  friend,''  said  Mr.  Conrad,  sadly,  "you  South- 
ern people  are  a  very  hot-headed  race  !  '^ 

"  And,  well  we  may  be,"  said  the  young  man,  impul- 
sively, "  In  an  evil  hour,  our  ancestors,  who  were  too 
noble  and  generous  to  suspect  others  of  mean,  low  trick- 
ery, leagued  us  with  Ncav  England,  and  the  gentle  Puritan 
spirit  of  that  country  has  been  practicing  the  arts  of  the 


"his  soul  is  marching  on!"  415 

bull-baiter  upon  us  ever  since.  And  now,  since,  by  the 
exercise  of  arts,  such  as  their  forefathers  would  have 
sworn  could  only  have  been  inspired  by  the  ^  bad  angel,' 
they  have  made  tools  of  better  people  and  have  overpow- 
ered us,  they  are  plotting  to  make  the  amiable,  but 
emotional  and  consequently  easily  phrenzied  negro,  the 
Matadore  to  give  us  the  coicp  de  (jraQeP 

"  What  is  it  you  think  they  are  doing  now  ?  '^ 

"  Think  ?  I  don't  think  !  I  know  !  They  succeeded 
in  firing  the  heart  of  the  whole  North  against  us,  and 
they  are  now  seeking  to  so  fire  the  negroes'  hearts,  as  to 
make  it  impossible  for  us  to  steer  clear  of  the  Scylla  of 
resistance  to  the  government,  without  falling  into  the 
Charybdis  of  servile  insurrection  and  anarchy  ! " 

"  My  dear  fellow,"  exclaimed  ]Mr.  Conrad,  with  a  laugh, 
"  if  your  evil  forebodings  are  well  founded  there  is  no 
safety  but  in  flight !  " 

"  It  is  a  more  serious  matter  than  you  can  at  present 
understand,"  said  the  young  man,  laughing  at  his 
friend's  expression  of  affected  terror,  "and  there  would 
be  but  little  hope  for  the  South,  were  it  not  for  three 
things  :  First,  our  people  can  bend  before  a  storm  without 
being  broken  as  an  inferior  people  would  be  ;  second,  the 
negro  is  very  far  from  being  the  savage  which  the  fanatics 
think  he  is ;  and  third,  New  England  fanaticism  cannot 
^  ride  upon  the  whirlwind  and  direct  the  storm,'  after  the  ' 
passion  of  the  North  shall  have  fallen  below  the  white 
heat."  « 

"  You  spoke  of  other  hearts  being  fired ;  what  has 
occurred,  of  late,  to  fire  your  Southern  heart  ?  " 

"  It  has  been  fired  toward  Puritanism  ever  since  I  knew 
the  difference  between  political  faith  and  fanaticism,  and 
ascertained    that    there   was   no   room    for    honor    and 


416  BEGINNING   ANEW. 

patriotism  in  hearts  filled  with  self-interest   and  Puri- 
tanism/' 

"  But  what  has  occurred  of  late  to  excite  you  ?  Are 
not  matters  wearing  as  satisfactory  an  aspect  as  you  could 
expect  under  the  present  circumstances  of  the  country  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  on  the  surface  !  But  did  not  more  than  half 
of  our  negroes  stop  work  yesterday,  and  ride  our  horses 
and  mules  to  Barrensville  to  attend  a  League  meeting  ? 
What  are  these  oath-bound  leagues  to  accomplish  ?  And 
didn't  the  negroes  tell  you  plainly  that  they  intend  to 
ride  our  animals — I  was  so  informed — as  often  as  they 
saw  proper  to  attended  these  meetings,  or  else  they  would 
quit  the  place  and  let  you  ^  wnck  your  own  cotton  patch  ? 
And  isn't  a  trifling  fellow,  by  the  name  of  Wheeless,  col- 
lecting all  the  trifling,  thriftless  negroes  on  the  Deaderick 
plantations,  and  other  abandoned  lands,  forming  leagues, 
and  marching  through  the  country  with  flags  and  drums, 
leading  thieving  mobs  to  demoralize  the  laborers  and 
frighten  women  and  children  ?  " 

^'  Well ;  what  of  it  all  ?  The  silly  antics  of  a  crazy 
fanatic  signify  nothing ;  and  what  is  the  loss  of  a  day's 
labor  now  and  then?  It  will  not  occur  oftener  than  once 
or  twice  a  month,  I  fancy." 

"  Of  course,  it  is  all  nothing.  The  first  cool  breath  of 
air  that  tells  the  sweltering  and  belated  Texan  of  a 
coming  Norther  is  nothing  !  So  also  is  the  first  warm 
blast  from  the  Libyan  Desert  that  foretells  the  coming  of 
a  sirocco.  They  are  nothing ;  but  the  natives  of  those 
countries  fly  from  them  as  from  a  pestilence." 

"  My  dear  fellow,"  laughed  Mr.  Conrad,  "  I  fear  you 
are  getting  bilious.     I  shall  have  to  give  you  a  cathartic  ! " 

"  I  will  take  anything  you  may  prescribe,"  returned 
the  young  man,  also  laughing,  ^'  if  you  will  agree  to  guar- 


"twisting  the  lion's  tail."  417 

antee  me  against  being  dosed  Avith  poison,  as  threatened 
by  a  pious  Boston  parson." 

"  My  dear  fellow,  you  are  too  hard  upon  our  Puritan 
brethren  of  New  England.  You  should  bear  in  mind, 
that  there  are  lunatics  in  other  countries  besides  Massa- 
chusetts and  other  Puritan  strongholds." 

"  I  do  not  forget  that  fact ;  but  the  difference  is  that  in 
other  countries  they  are  put  into  the  asylums,  while  in 
Massachusetts,  and  New  England  generally,  they  are 
made  bishops,  clergymen  and  civil  officers." 

"  It  is  just  such  talk  as  that,  which  you  Southern  hot- 
heads have  been  indulging  in  for  a  generation,  that  has 
exasperated  our  Puritan  brothers,  and  that  causes  them 
now  to  seek  retaliation  or  vengeance." 

"  Yes ;  we  ought  to  be  more  cautious  now.  As  we 
have  our  head  in  the  lion's  mouth,  we  should  not  twist 
his  tail.  But  we  can't  help  it !  As  for  retaliation,  that 
is  their  religion.  It  is  a  cure  for  all  ills.  They  would 
admire  the  Saviour  much  more,  if  he  had  commanded  the 
hosts  of  Heaven  to  flay  alive  those  who  spat  upon  him." 

"  Do  you  recollect  your  theory,  and  that  of  many 
others,  about  Puritan  blood  and  fanaticism  ?  You  will 
soon  make  me  believe  that  you  have  some  of  that  blood 
in  your  veins." 

"  There  is  a  tradition  in  our  family  that  there  is  a  bar- 
sinister  of  that  kind  upon  our  escutcheon,  and  I  am 
inclined  to  believe  it;  for  I  often  feel  that  there  are 
two  natures,  entirely  antagonistic,  within  me.  One  is 
revengeful,  and  almost  capable  of  stooping  to  Puritan 
methods,  and  the  other  thoroughly  contemns  and  despises 
the  first." 

"No;  you  are  only  a  typical  Southerner.  But  will 
you  not  give  me  the  particulars  of  the  tidings  from  my 


418  BEGINNII^G   ANEW. 

little  cousin  ?     That  will  be  a  more  agreeable  subject  to 
both  of  us/^ 

"  You  shall  read  for  yourself/'  replied  the  young  man, 
producing  from  his  pocket  the  letter  already  alluded  to ; 
^^  and  you  must  amuse  yourself  until  this  evening,  for  I 
shall  ride  over  to  see  Flournoy  and  his  bride,  my  little 
cousin.  I  may  go  on  and  take  tea  with  Howard,  but  I 
shall  be  home  to-night/' 

After  Mr.  Stewart  had  galloped  away  upon  Selim,  Jr., 
a  representative  of  the  Randolph  stock  which  he  had 
left  at  "  The  Oaks,''  a  three-year-old  colt,  when  he  left  for 
Virginia  in  1861,  and  had  purchased  of  a  Federal 
officer  on  his  return,  Mr.  Conrad  applied  himself  to  the 
voluminous  epistle,  of  which  we  shall  give  only  such  parts 
as  are  necessary  to  the  thread  of  our  narrative. 

It  was  dated,  Paris,  October  the  4th,  1865  ;  and  after 
speaking  of  numerous  letters  that  had  been  written  at 
other  times,  and  of  various  other  matters,  the  writer 
spoke  of  herself: 

^^  An  item  in  the  Northern  papers,  stating  that  ^  Cesare 
D'Elfons  had  been  killed  at  Barrensville,  Alabama,  in 
an  effort  to  rescue  from  arrest  his  sister,  who  had  mur- 
dered a  Federal  officer,'  attracted  the  attention  of  relatives " 
in  New  Orleans,  of  whose  existence  I  had  no  knowledge. 
They  visited  me  in  the  Ohio  prison,  and  seemed  to  have 
no  very  serious  difficulty  in  procuring  my  release. 

"  One  of  these  was  a  cousin,  Cesare  D'Elfons,  a  native 
of  France,  and  a  resident  of  Paris,  but  an  amateur  Con- 
federate soldier,  who  had  fought  under  you  at  Williams- 
burg, and  who  gave  me  a  very  amusing  account  of  the 
'  first  time  he  was  ever  made  to  bow  before  an  enemy ; ' 
and  the  other  was  my  half  sister — Miss  Beatrice  D'Elfons 
— and  no  less  a  person  than  the  eccentric  lady  whom  you 


"the  fateful  diamond,"  419 

met  on  the  cars  in  the  spring  of  1861,  and  who  sent  me 
the  fateful  diamond. 

"  My  father  was  married  to  her  mother,  at  Boston,  in 
the  year  1828,  and  within  less  than  a  year  he  killed  his 
brother-in-law,  in  a  quarrel  over  a  club-room  card  table. 
He  was  tried  and  acquitted,  but  his  wife  refused  to  see  him 
again^  and  he  left  Boston  for  New  Orleans,  a  few  months 
after  the  birth  of  his  child,  without  having  been  per- 
mitted to  see  her.  His  wife  got  a  divorce,  and  married 
again,  but  was  soon  divorced  a  second  time,  and  resumed 
the  name  of  D'Elfons,  on  her  daughter's  account.  My 
father  emancipated  my  mother,  and  married  her  about  the 
time  of  the  second  divorce  of  his  first  wife,  and  this 
was  the  last  they  heard  of  him  until  after  the  death  of 
the  impostor,  who  stole  his  entire  estate,  and  sent  my 
poor  mother  to  the  slave  mart.  A  will,  with  other 
important  documunts  of  my  father's,  was  found  among 
the  papers  of  the  deceased  impostor,  who  left  no  family 
or  relations,  so  far  as  is  known.  This  will  directed  that 
his  large  estate  should  be  equally  divided,  between  my 
mother,  Beatrice,  Cesare  and  myself. 
.  "  It  was  Beatrice's  earnest  desire  to  hunt  us  up  at  once, 
but  she  was  restrained  by  the  violent  and  unreasoning 
opposition  of  her  mother.  I  cannot  blame  my  amiable, 
but  eccentric  sister,  for  her  mother  had  really  loved  my 
father,  and  had  become  a  monomaniac,  on  the  subject  of 
his  alliance  ^  with  a  negro  woman,'  as  she  believed,  and 
the  condition  of  her  mind  made  it  imperatively  necessary 
that  her  eccentric  whims  should  be  respected  and  acted 
upon. 

"  The  old  lady  died  a  maniac,  a  few  weeks  after  my 
arrival  in  New  Orleans  with  Beatrice  and  our  Cousin 
Cesare ;  and  life    in  the  city   became  so  unpleasant  on 


420  BEGINNING   ANEW. 

account  of  the  militaiy  occupancy  that,  under  the  per- 
suasion of  Cesare,  we  determined  to  make  our  residence, 
for  a  time,  near  our  relations  in  France. 

"  We  have,  here  in  Paris,  some  wealthy  and  influential 
relatives,  who  have  introduced  us  into  fashionable  society, 
and  I  suppose  I  ought  to  be  contented  and  happy.  My 
sister's  health  is  quite  delicate,  and  this  enables  me  to 
consult  my  inclinations  and  live  quite  a  retired  life,  amid 
the  giddy  whirl  which  surrounds  us.  There  are  two 
things  which  I  do  not  like  here.  Social  intercourse  seems 
to  be  wanting  in  that  plain  honest  sincerity  to  which  I 
have  been  accustomed,  and  it  seems  to  me  I  have  lost,  or 
am  losing,  something  of  that  quality  from  my  own  char- 
acter. My  sister  is  violently  opposed  to  my  letting  it  be 
known  that  I  have  a  trace  of  negro  blood  in  my  veins, 
and  I  cannot  help  feeling  that  I  am  a  passive  agent 
in  a  deception  which  is  entirely  unnecessary,  to  say  the 
least. 

"  We  shall  remain  here,  perhaps,  another  year,  but  my 
heart  pines  for  my  native  land,  and  the  friends  of  my 
childhood.  There  is  not  a  day,  whatever  my  surround- 
ings may  be,  that  I  do  not  visit,  in  thought,  the  dear  old 
mansion  in  Virginia  and  its  dear,  kind  inmates,  and  you 
and  mammy,  and  the  rude  log  cabins,  which  my  fancy 
pictures  as  having  been  erected  where  "  The  Oaks  '^  buildings 
formerly  stood.  Hoav  quiet  and  uneventful  was  my  life 
at  "  The  Oaks  !  '^  and  yet  I  was  happy ;  happier  than  I  can 
hope  ever  to  be  again.  Then  I  had  Cesare,  and  you,  and 
mammy,  and  knew  nothing  of  the  bad  side  of  human 
nature.  Ah !  that  I  could  have  been  permitted  to  keep 
all,  and  dream  on  through  life ! 

"  I  wish  now  to  speak  of  a  matter  in  which  you  must 
not  oppose  me.      Your  refusal  to  comply  with  my  desires 


"news  from  the  loved  one."  421 

will  make  me  very  unhappy.  Your  honored  and  beloved 
father  paid  nearly  three  thousand  dollars  for  my  mother, 
brother  and  myself,  and  he  and  you  gave  us  happy  homes. 
Cesare  and  I  felt  as  if  we  were  his  wards  and  not  his 
slaves,  and  we  owe  you  and  him  a  pecuniary  debt,  as  well 
as  a  debt  of  love  and  gratitude.  The  latter  we  can  never 
fully  repay — ah !  I  say  we,  for  I  cannot  even  yet,  fully 
realize  that  Cesare  is  not  with  you  at  "  The  Oaks  " — but  the 
former  I  can,  since  the  Avill  of  my  father  gave  me  wealth 
for  beyond  my  most  extravagant  desires.     I  have  directed 

my  agent  in  New  Orleans,  Mr. ,  LL.  D,  to  send 

you  a  check  for  ten  thousand  dollars.  Please  send  the 
proceeds  of  that  check  to  your  father ;  but  I  prefer  that  he 
shall  know  nothing,  except  that  it  is  in  payment  of  an 
old  debt  forgotten  by  him.     I  have  also  directed  Mr. 

to  honor  your  check  on  him  for  any  amount, 

and  if  your  feelings  for  me  are  such  as  I  hope  and  believe, 
and  such  as  are  mine  for  you,  you  will  not  refuse  to  use 
all  that  you  may  be  able  to  utilize  of  the  large  surplus 
means  now  to  my  credit  in  New  Orleans,  and  which  I 
cannot  use. 

"  I  will  speak  now  of  one  whose  fate  is  inseparably 
connected  with  your  own.  I  have  been  to  London  to  see 
Florence,  our  Florence,  yours  and  mine.  The  dear  child 
was  overcome  with  joy  at  seeing  me,  and  Dr.  Hansel  was 
exceedingly  polite.  Florence  is  very  unhappy.  Her 
mother's  health  is  quite  delicate,  and  there  is  reason  to 
believe  that  Dr.  Hansel  has  but  little  regard  for  her  peace 
of  mind.  He  is  scheming  to  marry  Florence  to  a  relative 
of  his,  and  has  become  fanatical  on  the  subject.  I  fancy 
that,  like  most  people  of  his  blood,  he  cannot  avoid  being 
extreme  on  every  subject  that  interests  him.  He  seeks  to 
make  ^Irs.  Hansel  an  instrument  of  coercion,  so  to  speak, 


422  BEGINNING   ANEW. 

to  insure  the  success  of  his  plans.  Do  not  censure  the 
dear  girl,  therefore,  when  I  tell  you  that  she  is  not  at 
liberty  to  hold  any  communication  with  you.  Filial  love 
and  duty  demanded  that  she  should  make  this  promise, 
and  even  I  advised  it.  But  before  I  did  so  I  knew 
that  her  heart  was  true  to  you,  when  she  thought  you  were 
sleeping  in  an  unknown  grave,  and  that  it  would  continue 
true  until  it  ceased  to  throb  with  ^the  fever  called 
living.^ 

"  She  wears  '  our  diamond,^  as  she  calls  it,  but  in  order 
that  it  may  not  attract  attention,  she  has  employed  the 
jewelers'  art  to  encase  the  gem  in  black  enamel.  I  spoke, 
several  pages  back,  of  a  fear  that  I  am  losing  the  simple 
sincerity  of  my  character.  Think  of  me  as  flattering  and 
dazzling  Dr.  Hansel  into  a  promise  that  Florence  and  her 
mother  shall  spend  the  ensuing  winter  in  Paris  as  my 
guests  !  /  did  it !  Ah!  it  is  a  wicked  world  in  which 
barefoot  virtue  has  to  travel  stony  by-paths  in  order  to 
outstrip  booted  and  spurred  vice  upon  the  broad  high- 
way ! " 

Following  the  above  were  messages  to  mammy  and 
various  other  persons,  all  of  which,  Mr.  Conrad  read  care- 
fully through,  and  then  folding  the  letter,  he  sat  in  deep 
meditation  until  hearing  some  one  approaching  through 
the  hall,  he  looked  up  to  see  mammy  i^egarding  curiously 
the  letter  in  his  hand. 

"  Come  here,  old  lady ! ''  he  exclaimed,  "  and  bask 
in  the  sun,  while  you  tell  me  about  this  Marienne 
D'Elfons." 

"  Lawd,  ]\Iars'  Conrad,^'  replied  the  old  woman,  taking 
the  designated  seat.  "  I  is  dat  happy  since  young  master 
read  me  dat  letter  las'  night,  befo'  you  come  from  Barrens- 
ville,  I  dunno  what  to  do  !     I  feel  likemarmsell  has  done 


"discussing  love  mattees."  423 

ris'  from  de  dead  !  Tell  ^boiit  her  ?  What  do  you  want 
to  know  ? '' 

"  What  she  is,  and  what  she's  like  !  ^' 

"  Well,  she's  a  human  des  like  we  all ;  an'  she's  a 
nigger  too,  or  a  slave,  es  you  all's  fokes  calls  it,  des  like 
me ;  but  for  all  dat  she  is  white  es  any  lady  dares  to  be, 
an'  as  much  of  a  lady  as  any  o'  dem  kings  and  queens 
she's  'sociatin  wid  in  dem  furrin  parts." 

"  Well,  do  you  know  that  I  have  fallen  in  love  with 
her  letter  ?     Is  she  handsome  ?  " 

"  Han'sum  !  dat  ain't  de  word  !  She's  es  pritty  es  a 
picter, — an'  har  an'  eyes  black  es  tar  ! " 

"  Good  !  Suppose  I  go  to  ^  dem  furrin'  parts '  and 
bring  her  back  here  ?  " 

"  Go  'way,  young  marster  !  "  exclaimed  the  old  woman, 
evidently  delighted  at  the  suggestion.  "  I  don't  know  ef 
she'd  have  you.  Dar'w^as  a  young  gent'man  here,  es  good 
lookin'  es  you  is,  an'  rich  too — scandlous  rich — richest 
young  man  in  de  country ;  har  an'  whiskers  des  like 
yourn ;  an'  he  loved  de  groun'  she  walked  on,  and  she 
'fused  him  ! " 

"  What  was  the  matter  ?  " 

"  Matter  ?  humph  !  What  you  'speck  is  de  matter 
when  fokes  'fuses  fokes  ?  " 

"  Couldn't  inspire  her  with  the  sublime  passion  ?  " 

"You  kin  call  it  any  outlandish  name  you  want  to, 
but  you'd  have  to  talk  mighty  pritty  ef  you  fared  any 
better." 

"  Well,  what  became  of  that  handsome  and  ^  scandlous 
rich '  fellow  ?  " 

"  De  Yankees  busted  his  head  open  for  tryin'  to  perteck 
her,  an'  she  had  a  sort  o'  way  o'  pertectin'  herself,  too." 

"  Where  is  he  now  ?  " 


424 


BEGINNING   ANEW. 


"  In  de  crazy  'sylum  in  ole  Ferginny,  dey  say.  Him  an' 
dis  same  Peter  Dillard,  dat  does  de  blacksmifin',  knocked 
down  an^  dragged  out  most  a  dozen  o^  dem  sogers  down 
here ;  an^  at  Barrensville  dey  come  mighty  nigh  cleanin' 
out  de  town  'bout  her,  an'  cause  dey  kilt  Fox.'' 

"  Was  her  brother  a  clever  fellow  ?  " 

"  Fox  ?  I  ain't  never  seed  no  more  cleverer  man  dan 
Fox  was." 

"  Well,  I  shall  see  her  one  of  these  days,  and  what  can 
you  say  to  her  in  my  behalf?  " 

^^  I'll  tell  her  dat  you  ain't  like  dem  Yankees,  dat  fit 
here  in  Alabamer  ;  an'  dat  '11  give  you  a  fair  showin'  wid 
de  balance  o'  de  worl'.  An'  maby  I'll  tell  her  dat  I  likes 
you  nex'  arter  de  young  marster ;  but  mind,  I  says  mahy  I 
will!" 


"  Mammy's  Portrait." 


CHAPTER  XXYI. 
Trouble  Bbewiis^g. 

"  Where  no  hope  is  left,  u  left  no  fear  !  " 

— Mllton's  Paradise  Kegained. 

"  Curs' d fate/  malicious  stars/  you  now  have  drained 
Yourselves  of  all  your  poisonous  influence  /  " 

— Lee's  Mithridates. 

IT  has  been  claimed,  by  an  apologist  of  the  infamous 
Caligula,  that  for  eighteen  centuries  the  world  has 
done  that  ancient  philanthropist  great  injustice ;  and  that 
he  was  nothing  more  nor  less  than  a  merry  humorist, 
whose  lofty  sense  of  humor,  caused  him  to  play  gigantic 
practical  jokes.  So  it  was,  perhaps,  with  our  modern 
Caligulsean  philanthropists.  They  had  no  venom  in  their 
hearts  !  Xo  moral  dyspepsia  had  distilled  bile  into  their 
philanthropic  livers  !  ^o  morbid  sense  of  their  respon- 
sibility as  the  vicegerents  of  the  Almighty  had  caused 
them  to  weep  over  the  sins  of  fallen  man  in  the  God-con- 
demned realms  beyond  the  confines  of  New  England  ! 
Oh,  no !  They  were,  perhaps,  only  merry,  fat-sided 
humorists,  with  easy  consciences  and  good  digestions — 
without  responsibility  for  other  people's  sins,  and  with  no 
sins  of  their  own.  Happy  people!  Merry  jokers!  With 
jibes  and  jests,  and  merry  threatenings,  they  had  driven 
the  South  out  of  the  fair  Temple  which  her  own  brain 
chiefly  had  erected,  and  her  own  ^lood  chiefly  had 
cemented ;  and  with  overpowering  levity  they  had,  with 
26  425 


V 


426  TEOUBLE   BREWING. 

merry  cunning,  contrived  to  league  together  all  the  jokers 
of  the  universe,  and  even  the  prince  of  jokers,  to  heather 
back  again  into  the  Temple.  But  success  in  this  only 
begot  a  craving  for  a  still  more  stupendous  joke.  The 
broken  and  bleeding  South  must  not  be  permitted  to  defile 
the  Temple  with  her  battle-stained  garments.  She  must 
be  hustled  out,  and  stripped  and  bathed  and  anointed, 
preparatory  to  being  decked  in  new  habiliments.  Ah,  what 
an  opportunity  for  a  gigantic  joke !  Again  the  silvery 
sound  of  a  certain  "  little  bell "  is  heard.  But  this  time 
it  is  not  to  consign  to  dungeons  vile  the  noble  souls  that 
have  failed  to  succumb  to  levity,  and  crush  out  all  rever- 
ence for  the  traditions  of  their  government  by  becoming 
abjectly  loyal  to  fanaticism.  No;  it  is  to  prepare  the 
jokers,  great  and  small,  military  and  civil,  fanatic  and 
freebooter,  for  the  crowning  joke  of  the  age — "  Recon- 
struction ! "  And  it  said  to  those  who  read  its  message 
aright — and  the  message  was  passed  from  chief  to  subor- 
dinate, from  representative  to  rabble — "  Come,  ye  jackalls, 
ye  vultures — all  ye  scavengers  of  the  earth — and  work 
your  will  before  we  hide  the  dainty  form,  now  exhausted 
and  bleeding,  in  the  gorgeous  robes  of  barbarism,  and 
make  her  the  court  jester  for  the  nation  ! '' 

Fortunate  was  it  for  the  interests  of  American  civiliza- 
tion and  free  constitutional  government,  that  while  knaves 
and  fools  plotted,  fools  and  knaves  executed,  and  all 
laughed,  there  was  a  conservative,  patriotic  and  brain- 
endowed  element  at  the  North,  strenuously  laboring  for 
recognition  and  influence  amongst  a  generation  of  grinning 
"  Merry  Andrews.^'  Though  this  long-smothered  element 
was  destined  not  to  assume  the  reins  of  power,  the  fear  of 
losing  the  loaves  and  fishes  of  office,  caused  the  merry 
plotters  to  show  a  survile  truckling  to  moderate  counsels. 


"LAXiE   BRACCiE."  427 

The  former  clement  desired  to  say  to  the  South — "  Un- 
happy sister,  come  back  without  di.slionor  !  We  liave 
overwhehned  you,  but  your  honor  is  untarnished,  and  it 
is  a  guaranty  more  fully  to  be  trusted  than  would  be  the 
servile  pledges  of  a  different  people,  that  you  will  bow 
with  candid  submission  to  the  decision  of  that  arbitration, 
which,  in  the  present  condition  of  the  world's  civilization, 
all  must  recognize  as  final !  ^'  This  was  honor  speaking 
to  honor;  chivalry  greeting  chivalry.  But  the  other 
element,  judging  all  things  by  its  own  low  standard, 
regarded  nothing  of  any  value  but  penal  bonds,  mortgage 
deeds,  or  cash  in  hand.  With  them  magnanimity  seemed 
a  comfortless,  insipid  sort  of  thing,  while  revenge  possessed 
a  sweet  and  aromatic  flavor. 

It  is  with  peoples  in  bulk  as  with  individuals,  in  their 
personal  peculiarities.  The  brave  honor  a  brave  adver- 
sary, while  the  cowardly  despise  the  skill  and  daring  that 
well-nigh  overcame  greatly  superior  physical  force. 

So  the  wise  and  patriotic  planned ;  knaves  and  fools 
shook  their  heads  and  laughed.  Then  knaves  and  fools 
plotted,  wise  men  shook  their  heads  and  still  the  jokers 
laughed  and  sent  fools  on  errands.  We  will  let  one  of 
these  latter  speak : 

"  It  was  proposed  that  the  states  that  had  been  in  the 
infeeted  region  should  be  quietly  left  to  moldcr  in  the 
grave  of  rebellion — the  bed  they  had  themselves  prepared ; 
that  the  region  they  once  embraced  should  be  divided  up 
into  territories,  without  regard  to  former  statal  lines,  and 
so  remain  for  a  score  of  years  under  national  control — but 
without  power  to  mold  or  fashion  the  national  legislation 
— until  time  should  naturally  and  thoroughly  have  healed 
the  breaches  of  the  past  [patched  the  army  trpi^rSers !], 
till  commerce  had  become  re-established,  ai4jii'the  crude 


428  •  TROUBLE   BKEWING. 

ideas  of  the  present  had  been  clarified  by  the  light  of 
experience.'^ 

AYhat  a  gigantic  and  delicious  joke  would  this  have 
been  !  The  dainty  maiden  to  be  kept  bound  and  naked 
v/  for  a  score  or  two  of  years  !  How  the  jackal  Is,  the  vul- 
tures, all  the  scavengers  of  the  earth,  would  revel  in  good 
times  and  roval  fun,  while  Father  Time  should  be  re- 
vamping  the  breeches  of  the  past !  What  scores  of  thou- 
sands of  offices  to  be  filled  by  the  truly  loyal  during  the 
scores  of  years  that  were  to  be  stretched  into  centuries, 
while  Father  Time  nodded  over  his  wofully  extended  job 
And  what  good  fat  offices,  too,  could  they  all  be  made, 
with  pickings  and  perquisites,  from  constable  of  a  town- 
ship to  governor  of  a  satrapy  !  But  alas  for  the  hungry 
and  expectant  scavengers  !  The  honest  hearts  that  had 
been  fired  by  the  flame  of  battle  had  begun  to  cool.  The 
statesmanship  that  had  lost  its  head,  when  the  danger  of 
losing  the  chief  contributors  to  its  material  prosperity  had 
loomed  up  in  the  political  horizon,  was  recovering  from  its 
mahia-a-potu.  It  was  threatening  to  deprive  hungry 
maws  of  the  rich  pap  which  was  already  feeding  their  vam- 
pirism, and  it  forced  them  to  take  counsel  of  their  fears. 
And  after  they  and  their  fears  had  held  solemn  conclave 
the  candid  fool  gives  the  result : 

^^  The  President  and  his  supporters  were  going  to  the 
country  on  his  plan  [a  certain  degree  of  justice  apd  mag- 
nanimity]. When  the  Congress  threatened  impeachment, 
he  sought  for  justification  at  the  ballot-box.  Some  plan 
must  be  devised  to  meet  him.  What  should  it  be  ?  The 
logic  which^  carries  elections  answered,  ^  One  on  which 
all  who  are  opposed  to  the  presidential  plan  in  the  North 
can  be  induced  to  unite.'  From  this  womb  of  party 
necessity  and  political  insincerity,  came  forth  this  abor- 


"the  national  cock-fight."  429 

tion,  or,  rather  this  monster,  doomed  to  parricide  in  the 
hour  of  its  birth." 

*^^  ^^  ^^  ^y  ^K  ^^  ^^  %y  ^C 

^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^^ 

"  They  were  giving  the  power  of  the  re-organized  sub- 
ordinate republics  into  the  hands  of  a  race  unskilled  in 
public  affairs,  poor  to  a  degree  hardly  to  be  matched  in  the 
civilized  world,  and  so  ignorant  that  not  five  out  of  a  hun- 
dred could  read  their  own  ballots.  *  *  *  Against 
them  were  to  be  pitted  the  wealth,  the  intelligence,  the 
organizing  skill,  the  pride  and  the  hate  [?]  of  a  people 
whom  it  had  taken  four  years  to  conquer  in  open  fight, 
when  their  enemies  outnumbered  them  three  to  one.*  *  * 
Not  content  with  this,  they  went  further,  and,  by  erecting 
the  rebellious  territory  into  self-regulating  and  sovereign 
states,  they  abandoned  these  parties,  like  cocks  in  a  pit, 
to  fight  out  the  question  of  predominance  without  the 
possibility  of  national  interference  !  It  was  cheap  patriot- 
ism, cheap  philanthropy."  * 

It  was,  indeed,  very  cheap  patriotism — no  doubt  it  vdW 
feel  cheap  to  the  remotest  ages  of  times — to  leave  the  poor, 
ignorant  African,  into  w^hose  "  hands  they  were  giving  the 
power  of  the  reorganized,  subordinate  republics,"  to  gov- 
ern his  territory  and  rule  ^^  without  the  possibility  of 
national  interference,"  those  intelligent,  skilled,  proud  and 
hate/it^  Caucasians,  who  had  shown  a  three  to  one  superi- 
ority over  other  Caucasians — even  themselves  !  It  was 
dirt-cheap  philanthropy — it  ought  to  die  of  a  cheap  ague 
— to  close  the  door  of  the  arena  before  being  assured, 
"  beyond  the  possibility  of  a  peradventure,"  that  every 
poor  little  lion  w^ould  be  able  to  overcome  and  devour  his 
Christian  !  Such  cheap  patriotism  and  philanthropy  was 
a  crime   against   New  England   Puritanism,  was  a   sin 

*  These  extracts  are  from  "A  Fool's  Errand."    Pages  118-20. 


430  TROUBLE   BREWING. 

against  John  Brown^s  tramping  soul,  and  spoiled  the  best 
part  of  a  joke,  compared  with  which  the  burning  of 
witches  was  amusement  fit  only  for  suckiner  babes ! 

But  the  deed  was  done.  The  cocks  were  ^^  in  the  pit  to 
fight  out  the  question  of  predominance,"  but  not  "  without 
the  possibility  of  interference"  in  favor  of  the  black  dung- 
hill, and  not  without  a  high  resolve  to  make  him  the 
"  cock  of  the  walk." 

"Mars'  Chyarles,"  said  Dick,  one  sultry  afternoon, 
stopping  his  plough  as  he  met  the  young  master  in  the 
field,  where  a  small  squad  of  hands  were  engaged  in  ^  lay- 
ing-by'  cotton  that  had  been  well  cultivated  and  promised 
a  bountiful  yield,  but  adjoining  which  were  hundreds  of 
acres  which  had  been  '  turned  out,'  and  on  which  the  pale 
and  sickly  stalks,  with  a  few  sad  abortions  in  the  direction 
of  blossoms  and  bolls,  were  overtopped  by  weeds  six  or 
eight  feet  high,  "  dar's  gwine  to  be  trubble  in  dis  country 
befo'  long." 

We  will  remark,  par  parenthesis,  that  we  have  passed 
over  a  comparatively  uneventful  period  in  the  history  of 
our  hero.  The  political  reader  has  already  observed  this, 
and  he  will  not  care  to  witness  the  cruel  pranks  of  the 
bull-baiter  while  waiting  for  the  stirring  events  of  the 
arena.  The  negro,  unlike  some  sub-races  or  clans,  so  to 
name  them,  of  the  Caucasian  family,  is  slow  to  think,  and, 
when  not  goaded  by  passion,  is  slow  to  act.  He  had  been 
slow  to  learn  the  lesson  of  Christianity  and  civilization, 
and  was  not  disposed  to  unlearn  it  in  a  few  months,  if  at 
all.  His  natural  instinct,  after  having  been  refined  by 
Christianity,  was  a  love  for  all  of  God's  human  creatures, 
no  matter  of  what  race,  class  or  condition,  and  particularly 
for  those  who  had  elevated  and  been  kind  to  him.  It 
took  time  to  make  him  believe  that  the  Southern  white 


"firing   the   ETHIOPIAN   HEART."  431 

people  had  never  shown  anything  but  the  most  unjustifiable 
wrong  and  outrage  toward  his  race,  and  that  the  Puritans 
of  New  England  were  the  only  white  friends  he  had  upon 
the  globe.  It  took  time  to  fire  his  heart  against  his  old 
friends,  but  it  has  been  fired,  and  is  burning  slowly.  Like 
the  black  mound  of  the  charcoal-burner,  it  has  been  fired 
by  a  stealthy  hand  during  the  dark  hours  of  a  moonless 
night,*  and  the  ascending  smoke  tells  of  a  glow  within. 
Shall  the  woodsmen  suffer  it  to  burst  out  and  destroy 
itself  and  all  around,  or  shall  they  stand  by  to  smother 
any  outbursting  flame,  and  to  keep  the  fierce  heat  within 
the  rude  crucible  until  all  gross  material  within  shall  have 
been  purged  and  purified? 

Mr.  Stewart's  countenance  assumed  a  very  dejected 
expression  as  he  replied  : 

"  In  the  name  of  pity,  Dick,  haven't  we  enough  trouble 
already  ?  " 

"Yes,  sar,  trouble  ^nuff,  sich  es  it  is.  Here's  'bout 
three-thirds  o'  de  cot'n  turned  out  'cause  dem  dat  planted 
it  is  done  made  up  der  min's  to  live  widout  work  by  run- 
nin'  roun'  to  de  League  meetins,  musters,  singin'  skools 
an'  sich,  an'  thievin',  an'  robin',  an'  lyin',  and  bearin' 
false  witness  an'  de  like  ;  but  de  trouble  I's  talkin'  'bout 
is  fightin'  trubble." 

"  Well ;  things  can't  get  much  worse  than  they  are 
already.  That  is  one  consolation  w^e  have ;  but  what  is 
the  trouble  ?  " 

"  You  know  dat  you  an'  Mars'  Conrad  gin  mos'  all  de 
lumber  to  build  Bethel  camp-ground  church,  and  dat 
Br'er  Peter  done  nwre  dan  any  dozen  niggers,  workin'  on 
it  an'  hirin'  work." 

*  Negro  charcoal  burners  believe  that  a  kiln  so  fired  will  be  sure  to 
"luck  well." 


432  TROUBLE  BEEWTNG. 

''  Yes." 

"  Well,  dem  niggers  dat  has  done  quit  workin'  an' 
says  de  worF  owes  'em  a  liriu',  says  dat  dey  is  gvvine  to 
turn  me  an'  Br'er  Peter,  an'  all  dem  dat  don't  go  to  de 
League  meetins  an'  de  every-day  singin'  skools,  out  'n  de 
church." 

''  What  for  ?  " 

"  Dey  say  we's  white  fokeses  niggers,  an'  is  done  turned 
agin  our  color." 

"  Well,  you  can  serve  your  Maker  without  having  your 
name  on  a  church  book." 

"  But  dey  say,  dat  turnin'  out  means  dat  we  sha'n't  go 
to  de  church  dat  w^e  built,  and  sha'n't  sociate  wid  nobody 
but  white  fokes ;  an  if  we  goes  to  de  meetin'  nex'  Sun- 
day, dey  is  gwine  to  pitch  us  out'n  de  winders ;  an'  all 
hans  says  dey's  gwine  dar  if  day  lives  'till  Sunday ;  an' 
Br'er  Peter  says,  if  he  goes  out  o'  de  winder,  he'll  be  apt 
to  leave  a  fo'  hoss  wagin-load  o'  dead  niggers  inside  de 
house." 

"  Why  are  they  so  bitter  against  Peter  ?  " 

^^  Dey's  bitter  agin  all  de  niggers  dat  goes  to  de  white 
fokes  for  edvice.  I  means  our  sort  o'  white  fokes — dey 
counts  'tother  sort  es  good  es  niggers.  But  dey's  pertick- 
ler  mad  wid  Br'er  Peter,  cause  he's  done  bought  an'  paid 
for  ten  acres  o'  Ian'.  Dey  says  dis  country  belongs  to  de 
niggers,  an'  dat  every  one  has  got  to  have  forty  acres  an' 
a  mule,  an'  a  heap  of  'em  is  done  picked  out  de  Ian'  an' 
de  mule.  Dar's  a  big  quarrelin'  goin'  on  bout  who  is 
gwine  to  have  dat  paciu'  mule  o'  ourn.  Yah,  yah,  yah  ! 
An'  dey's  mad  wid  me  an'  Br'er  Peter  bofe,  'cause  his 
wdfe  cooks  for  her  ole  mistis,  an'  I  'lows  Jane  to  cook 
for  Miss  Clare,  her  ole  skoolmate,  dat  bofe  lived  at  de 
'Theneum  together." 


"PE   BIGGEST   LIAR."  433 

"  As  Peter  has  bought  ten  acres,  I  suppose  they  will 
allow  him  only  thirty  more  ?  ^' 

"  No,  sah ;  not  a  foot !  Dey  says  dat  dem  dat  buys 
Ian',  an'  even  dem  dat  works  for  de  white  fokes,  will  have 
to  look  to  deni  for  Ian'  an'  mules.  Dat  Wheeless,  an' 
dem  ole  gals  at  de  ^  mission  skool/  es  dey  calls  it  at 
Bethel,  is  mad  wid  everybody  dat  does  anything  but  run 
roun'  to  de  League  meetins  and  de  singin'  skools.  Dey's 
mighty  mad  wid  you  an'  Mars'  Conrad,  too." 

"  What  have  they  against  us  ?  " 

"Dey  says  you's  too  independent  by  half;  an'  dat 
you'll  git  into  trouble  ef  you  don't  quit  talkin'  agin  de 
League  an'  de  singin'  skools." 

"We  don't  talk  against  them,  except  to  advise  the 
negroes  that  they  can  put  their  time  and  nickels  to  better 
use,  than  chanting  the  glorification  of  Xew  England  and 
the  Puritan  Fathers." 

"  Dats  what's  de  matter  !  You'd  better  talk  agin  John 
Brown,  (or  even  de  Saviour  hisself )  dan  'gin  dem  Purytin 
dadies.  Dat  makes  'em  fightin'  mad ;  an'  dey  says  you 
an'  him  is  de  rebelist  rebels  in  de  whole  Ian'." 

"  Don't  they  know  that  Conrad  fought  on  the  Union 
side?" 

"  Dey  says  dat's  all  a  lie  you  an'  him  made  up.  Dem 
corkscrew  ole  gals  says  dat ;  ef  it  Avas  a  nigger,  me  an' 
Br'er  Peter'd  mash  his  mouf !  I  tole  'em  I  had  seen 
Mars'  Conrad  myself,  at  de  head  of  more'n  a  thousan' 
Union  sogers,  an'  every  one  of  'em  a  gent'man,  ah'  dey 
said  I  was  de  biggest  liar  dat  ever  hopped.  I  didn't  say 
much,  cause  you  know  Mars'  Conrd  tole  me  to  let  'em 
think  he  was  a  rebel." 

"  Is  there  any  serious  danger  of  trouble  at  the  church 
on  Sunday  ?  " 


^V 


434  TROUBLE   BREWING. 

"  Des  es  sure  es  de  sun  rises  dat  day,  we's  gwine  to  dat 
church.  Dars  'bout  a  dozen  on  our  side,  an'  ef  dey  tries 
to  put  us  out,  dar's  gwine  to  be  more  niggers  kilt  dan 
was  slewed  endurin'  o'  de  war  ! " 

"  Have  you  been  behaving  yourselves  at  the  church 
and  complying  with  the  rules  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sar ;  We  pays  our  ten  cents  every  time  we  goes, 
an'  ef  de  'spouses  an'  things  don't  suit  us,  we  keeps  our 
mouths  shot  in  de  meetin'  'ouse." 

"  Do  the  teachers  know  there  is  going  to  be  trouble  ?  " 

"  Dey  knows  dat  de  tothers  says  dey  is  gwine  to  put  us 
out  de  'ouse ;  but  I  don't  know  as  dey  knows  we  ain't  de 
sort  dat  ain't  put  out  easy.  Dey  sides  wid  tothers,  an'  is 
always  sassyin'  an'  talkin'  at  us  bout  stickin'  to  de  flesh 
pots  o'  Egypt,  an'  not  follerin'  arter  Moses  an'  de 
Profits." 

"  AVhom,  or  what  do  they  present  as  INIoses  and  the 
Prophets  ?  " 

"  I  don't  'zackly  know,  sar.  Dey  looks  like — ef  dey 
was  to  put  on  britches — dey  might  be  Moses  an'  Aaron 
an'  Duteronomy,  an'  all  dem  ole  fellers ;  an'  I  speck  de 
five  cents  on  week  days  an'  ten  cents  on  Sundays  is  de 
profits." 

^^  Do  as  many  attend  as  in  the  spring,  when  Conrad 
and  I  went  over  there  ?  " 

"  A  heap  more  !  I  speck  dey'll  average  nigh  a  hun- 
dred on  week  days,  an'  some  Sundays  dar's  over  a  thou- 
san' — <)r  mighty  nigh  it,  anyhow." 

"  Do  they  have  preaching  every  Sunday  ?  " 

"  Well,  dat  Wheeless  talks  bout  Pharo'  an'  de  white 
fokes  persecutin'  de  niggers  an'  de  chil'n  o'  Israel,  an' 
tells  bout  de  Red  Sea  o'  water  dat  'stroyed  Pharo',  an'  de 
Red  Sea  o'  blood  dat  ought  to  'stroy  de  white  fokes,  an' 


"let  us  have  peace/'  435 

maby  will  one  o'  dese  days  ;  an'  dey  calls  dat  preachin'. 
Ef  dat  Wheeless  ain't  dar,  dem  ole  gals  tells  bout  how 
Mars'  Gineral  Grant  an'  Mars'  Gineral  Washington  an' 
de  tother  Purytins,  w^hipped  de  British  an'  de  Rebels,  an' 
set  all  de  niggers  free  all  over  creation,  an'  den  dey  caps 
it  all  off*  wid  'ligious  talk  bout  John  Brown  an'  de  Saviour, 
an'  dey  calls  dat  'lectioneerin',  or  somethin'  like  dat." 

"  Dick,"  said  the  young  master,  seriously,  "  you  and 
Peter,  and  the  others  on  your  side,  have  been  prompted 
by  curiosity  and  a  desire  to  meet  the  crowd  in  going  to 
Bethel.  Only  curiosity  has  taken  you  there,  and  as  your 
attendance  is  likely  to  create  a  disturbance,  I  advise  you 
all  to  stay  away." 

"  It's  too  late,  Mars'  Chyarles  !  Br'er  Peter  is  done 
hilt  up  his  han'  an'  swared  dat  he's  gwine  to  go  to  dat 
church  an'  die  dar  if  it  comes  to  dat ;  an'  we  has  done 
sw^ared  dat  we'll  stan'  by  him  es  long  es  dar's  a  pea  in  de 
dish!" 

"  Next  Sunday  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sar ;  day  arter  to-morrow." 

"  At  what  hour  ?  " 

"  Well,  de  singin'  skool  begins  at  nine  o'clock  an'  holds 
till  'leven,  an'  den  dey  has  dar  sort  o'  preachin'  or  'lec- 
tioneerin'." 

"  Conrad  and  I  will  ride  over  there  on  Sunday  at  nine 
o'clock,  and  will  undertake  to  keep  the  peace,  if  you  and 
the  others  will  agree  to  stay  away  till  the  regular  hour — 
eleven  o'clock." 

"  You'd  better  not  go.  Mars'  Chyarles !  You  don't 
know  how  imperdent  an'  sassy  dem  ole  gals  does  talk ! 
You'd  git  mad  es  a  March  har' ! " 

^'  Oh,  I  hope  not,"  said  the  young  man,  with  a  laugh, 
"  I  am  not  given  to  losing  my  temper,  am  I  ?  " 


436 


TROUBLE   BREWING. 


"  No,  sar ;  but  does  you  know  dat  ef  a  row  was  kickecf 
up,  you  an'  Mars'  Conrad  would  be  in  a  heap  more  danger 
dan  me  an'  Br'er  Peter  ?     You  all  is  Pharo'  an'  de  char- 
yots,  an'  we  is  only  de  lost  sheep  o'  Israel,  'cordin'  to  dar 
way  o'  figurein'  it." 

"  But  we  don't  intend  that  a  row  shall  be  ^  kicked  up.' 
You  all  have  made  a  foolish  oath,  and  we  must  help  you 
out  of  the  scrape.  I  want  you  to  go  over  and  tell  Peter 
that  I  want  to  see  him  this  evening." 

"Mars'  Chyarles,"  said  Dick,  looking  at  the  young 
man,  earnestly,  "  is  you  'termined  to  go,  hit  or  miss,  an' 
git  mixed  up  in  a  nigger's  row  ?  " 

"  I  shall  go,  but  there  must  be  no  row.  If  once  started, 
who  knows  where  it  may  end?  The  whole  country  is 
like  a  powder  magazine,  and  good  people  had  better  sub- 
mit to  a  little  wrong  than  fight  with  fire-brands.  You 
and  Peter  have  been  imprudent,  but  as  there  is  no  going 
back  from  your  positions,  which  ordinarily  would  be  per- 
fectly proper,  we  must  try  diplomacy  and  keep  passion  in 
subjection."  •   • 


One  of  "de  lost  sheep  o'  Israel 


CHAPTER  XXyil. 
The  Mission  School — A  New  Teacher. 

"  OJ  thorm  men  do  not  gather  figs,  nor  of 
A  bramble  bush  gather  they  grapes." 

— Gospel  according  to  St.  Luke. 

"  Peace  fled  the  neighborhoods  in  which  she  mxide 
Her  haunts." — Pollock. 

ON  the  following  Sabbath  the  two  masters  of  "The 
Oaks/'  rode  over  to  Bethel  church  at  an  early  hour. 
The  building  was  a  broad  and  wide-spreading  aifair,  con- 
structed of  rough  planks,  but  with  neat  doors  and  win- 
dows, and  intended  to  accommodate  very  large  congrega- 
tions during  the  Methodist  camp-meetings  and  the  Baptist 
associations.  Pre\aous  to  the  war  the  colored  people  of 
these  two  denominations,  worshiped  in  the  old  building 
which  the  Turchin  "  fire-bugs  "  had  destroyed.  The  site 
belonged  to  the  two  denominations  jointly,  but  as  all 
denominations,  and  persons  belonging  to  no  denomination, 
had  assisted  in  erecting  the  new  building,  it  was  generally 
considered  a  free  church,  until,  by  some  legerdemain,  the 
Northern  Methodists,  a  church  ha\ang  no  affiliation  with, 
or  sympathy  in  the  work  of  the  Methodist  Church  South, 
or  of  any  Southern  Church,  obtained  or  assumed  exclusive 
control  of  it. 

The  neighborhood  had  formerly  been  very  wealthy, 
and  was  still  densely  populated  by  colored  people,  many  of 

437 


438         THE   MISSION   SCHOOL — A   NEW   TEACHER. 

whom,  refusing  to  labor  or  acknowledge  dependence  on 
the  white  people,  had  moved  into  the  dilapidated  log 
cabins  of  the  camp-ground,  which  had  not  been  destroyed 
during  the  war.  A  ^'  mission-house "  had  been  erected 
by  these,  and  by  the  aid  of  money  sent  from  the  North ; 
and  several  females  from  Massachusetts  had  installed 
themselves  as  "  teachers  "  to  the  multitudes  who,  in  addi- 
tion to  those  resident  there,  flocked  daily  from  all  the 
plantations  within  the  radius  of  five  or  six  miles. 

For  many  months  the  minds  of  the  negroes  had  been 
in  a  ferment.  They  were  made  to  believe  that  they  only 
needed  a  little  "  book  learnin' ''  to  make  them  the  superiors 
of  the  white  people  of  the  South.  This  idea  was  received 
with  great  distrust  at  first,  but  they  were  surrounded  on 
all  sides  by  marvelous  things ;  things  which  they  could 
not  comprehend  or  account  for,  and  they  finally  adopted 
the  bewildering  belief  that  the  promised  time  had  come 
when  the  first  should  be  last ;  and  vice  versa.  There  were 
many  things,  beside  the  daily  talks  of  the  teachers,  to  con- 
firm them  in  this  belief.  The  ability  of  the  most  worth- 
less negro  in  the  country  to  have  a  gentleman  arrested, 
and  perhaps  imprisoned,  on  the  most  improbable  and 
silly  charges,  was  a  new  revelation ;  and  the  fact  that 
money  and  property  could  be  taken  from  him  simply  by 
contriving  to  get  the  shadow  of  a  claim,  and  then  by  pro- 
ducing more  witnesses  than  he  could  command,  was  cal- 
culated to  strengthen  their  belief  in  the  oracular  wisdom 
of  their  teachers,  and  to  open  to  their  astonished  visions 
the  great  possibilities  of  the  future.  Many  had  already 
come  to  believe  that  the  white  people  had  but  few  rights, 
and  those  only  of  person,  which  they  were  bound  to 
respect ;  and  these  were  restrained  only  by  a  fear  of  such 
punishment  as  might  be  inflicted  without  the  sanction  of 


"  SWEAR   AGAINST    A   BEOTHER."  439 

proper  authority.  They  knew  that  no  punishment  would 
be  inflicted  on  themselves,  by  the  authorities  of  the 
Freedman's  Bureau,  so  long  as  they  could  match  an  oath 
with  an  oath,  for  had  not  the  Bureau  officials  advertised  to 
all  the  people  that  the  statement  of  a  '^  ward  of  the 
Nation  '^  would,  and  should,  be  credited,  in  preference  to 
the  contradicting  statement  of  a  rebel  ex-slaveholder? 
And  then,  as  to  procuring  w^itnesses,  w^as  not  every  mem- 
ber of  the  Union  League  bound  by  a  solemn  oath  to 
"  stand  up  to  his  color,"  and  was  not  this  construed  to 
mean,  among  other  things,  that  any  "  brother "  had  a 
right  to  command  the  services  of  all  the  others  as 
witnesses ;  and  that  no  "  brother  "  could  swear  against  a 
"  brother  "  under  any  circumstances  ? 

On  arriving  at  the  camp-ground  Mr.  Stewart  dis- 
mounted and  went  immediately  to  the  mission-house. 
For  some  reason  Mr.  Conrad  had  chosen  to  make  no 
acquaintances  among  the  Northern  adventurers  who  had 
come  into  the  country,  or  even  to  make  himself  known  to 
the  Bureau  officials  at  Barrensville,  and  he  consequently 
put  Mr.  Stewart  forward  on  this,^s  on  other  occasions. 
While  Mr.  Stewart  was  in  the  mission-house,  the  latter 
improved  the  opportunity  to  have  a  pleasant  talk  with  the 
sixty  or  more  negroes,  who  had  already  arrived.  He  was 
soon  in  earnest  conversation  with  an  intelligent  an  amia- 
ble looking  old  man,  who  listened  with  every  mark  of 
respect,  to  the  w^ords  of  the  young  man,  which  were  uttered 
in  a  loud  tone  of  voice,  evidently  w^ith  a  desire  that  all  should 
hear.  Some  uttered  exclamations  of  "  Dat's  so  ! "  "  He's 
talkin' de  blessed  troof!'' etc.,  while  the  majority  stood 
mute,  or  silently  shook  their  heads.  Finally,  one  of  the 
latter  said  to  the  old  man,  who  was  holding  his  ante  helium 
white  beaver  in  his  hand : 


440         THE   MISSION   SCHOOL — A   NEW   TEACHER. 

"  Uncle  Ben,  put  on  your  hat,  you  old  fool ! " 

The  old  man  turned  instantly  upon  the  young  buck, 
and  exclaimed,  angrily : 

''  Hold  your  jaw,  you  impudent  young  nigger !  De 
young  gent' man  has  got  his  hat  off,  an'  T  ain't  nigger 
enough  to  let  anybody  outdo  me  in  perliteness  ! " 

This  vehement  and  sarcastic  reply  produced  laughter 
and  applause  at  the  young  buck's  expense,  which  was 
raised  to  a  shout,  as  the  old  man  added : 

"  A  gent'man  always  treats  a  gent'man  like  a  gent'man, 
but  a  young  puppy  always  tries  to  be  a  bigger  dog  dan 
he  is ! '' 

"  Well,  old  gentleman,"  said  Mr.  Conrad,  unable  to 
restrain  his  laughter  at  the  old  man's  indignant  ire,  but 
shaking  him  heartily  by  the  hand,  "  the  young  felloV§ 
impertinence  has  served  as  the  best  possible  introduction ; 
and  I  am  proud  of  the  privilege  of  shaking  hands  with 
a  gentleman  of  nature's  own  make.  I  want  to  know  you 
better,  and  you  must  come  and  see  me  at  '  The  Oaks.' " 

At  this  moment  the  teachers  were  seen  coming  from  the 
mission-house,  and  escorted  by  Mr.  Stewart.  There  was 
a  rush  toward  the  house  to  procure  good  seats,  as  already 
several  hundred  persons  were  on  the  ground,  and  fresh 
squads  were  coming  in  rapidly.  Mr.  Conrad  accompanied 
the  old  man  to  the  door,  and  then  waited  to  have  a  hurried 
consultation  with  Mr.  Stewart. 

"  What  are  they  like  ?  "  he  asked  of  that  young  man, 
after  the  teachers  had  filed  in. 

"  mt  like  ladies.'' 

"  How  did  they  receive  you  ?  "     . 

"  Civilly  ;  gave  me  a  seat,  and,  after  I  had  stated  my 
business,  retired  for  consultation." 

"  What  was  the  result  ? " 


^TirTCCT^-kT   i    T>XT^f>.    yy 


MISSIONARIES."  441 

"  They  will  not  '  allow '  me  to  address  their  '  pupils/ 
but  will  not  object  to  our  witnessing  the  exercises  if  we 
will  ^deport  ourselves  in  a  becoming  manner/  as  they 
^  require  all  to  do.^  " 

These  "laborers  in  the  moral  vineyard"  were  sent  for- 
ward, it  was  said,  by  various  religious  and  philanthropic 
societies,  backed  by  the  Freedmen's  Bureau.  Before  the 
war,  these  societies  had  sent  only  men  ;  one  of  whom  had 
been  hanged  in  Virginia,  after  committing  murder,  and 
numbers  of  whom  had  been  "  beaten  with  stripes  "  for 
inciting  to  riot  and  insurrection  in  various  parts  of  the 
South.  But  now,  that  they  were  backed  by  the  Freed- 
men's  Bureau,  which  represented  the  dignity  and  power 
of  the  government,  it  was  thought,  perhaps,  that  the  fierce 
persecutors  of  former  "  missionaries  "  would  be  prompted 
by  chivalry — and  bayonets — to  view  more  rationally  the 
blessed  work,  if  performed  by  gentle  woman — that  class 
of  the  gentle  sex  who  repudiate  Scott^s  slander  that  they 
are  "  uncertain,  coy  and  hard  to  please." 

Once  when  seven  conscientious  men,  with  eight  others, 
fol-med  a  commission  to  decide  a  matter  of  very  grave 
import  (by  the  by,  why  should  sarcastic  Fate  have  decreed 
that  the  "  best  people  the  world  ever  knew  "  should  be 
doomed  to  celebrate  their  centennial  by  one  of  the  most 
shameless  frauds  the  world  ever  saw  ?),  it  was  demon- 
strated that  the  human  mind,  even  in  positions  of  honor 
and  trust  the  most  exalted,  cannot  be  trusted  to  wrestle 
with  matters  upon  which  self-interest  or  vested  preju- 
dices have  any  bearing.  For  this  reason,  and,  lest  we 
should  show  the  bias  of  the  immortal  chief  justice  who 
was  Number  Eight  on  one  side  of  that  renowned  commis- 
sion, we  prefer  that  a  Caligulaean  philanthropist,  one  who 
aided  and  abetted,  shall  describe  the  school  and  teachers 

27 


442         THE   MISSION   SCHOOL — A   NEW   TEACHER. 

which  the  young  masters  of  ^^  The  Oaks "  went  to  visit ; 
and  also  give  his  ideas  of  civilization,  and  the  standard  by 
which  religious  duties  and  obligations  should  be  measured. 
He  says : 

"To  them  thronged  with  wondrous  eagerness  the  old 
and  the  vouno-  alike  of  the  recentlv  emanciDated  race.  *  *  * 
In  it  [the  school  building]  seven  ladies,  who  had  come 
from  far  Northern  homes,  filled  with  the  genuine  spirit  of 
the  missionary,  and,  no  doubt,  thinking  themselves 
endowed  with  the  spirit  of  that  Redeemer  who  taught  pub- 
licans in  the  market,  or  in  the  desert,  despite  the  frowns 
of  the  Pharisees,  held  sway.  These  seven  fair,  pure- 
hearted  Northern  girls  tauiJ:ht  within  its  walls  each  dav, 

or?  ./  7 

and  often  at  uight,  six  hundred  and  more  of  the  race 
Avhich  had,  just  now,  its  first  chance  at  the  tree  of  knowl- 
edge since  our  common  mother  persisted  in  eating  the 
mystic  apple.  They  no  doubt  thought  they  were  doing 
God's  service,  and  wondered  why  the  earnest  Christians 
who  dwelt  about  them  should  regard  the  inhabitants  of 
the  mission-house  with  such  open  aversion  and  apparent 
hate.  It  must  have  seemed  strange  to  these  fresh  young 
believers  to  see  the  seats  in  the  church  in  front  and  rear 
of  where  they  sat  upon  the  Sabbath,  vacated  by  the  most 

devout  of  God's  people  in .     They  wondered  at  it 

for  a  tune,  and  then  blamed  the  good  people  of , 

and  thought  ill  of  their  religion,  when  it  was  not  the  good 
people  who  were  at  fault,  nor  their  religion,  but  only  the 
civilization  of  which  thev  were  the  outcome.  There  never 
was  a  kindlier  or  more  hospitable,  or  more  religious  people 

on   the  footstool   than  those  of ,  only  they  were 

kind  accordin<y  to  their  notions,  as  evervbodv  else  is  ;  hos- 
pitable  according  to  custom,  like  the  rest  of  the  world  ; 
and  religious  according  to  education  and  tradition,  as  are 


"  YANKEE   SCHOOLMAEMS."  443 

other  people  ;  and  the  disjointure  of  opinion  between 
them  and  Yankee  shoolmarms  was  all  because  the  lat- 
ter wanted  to  measure  them  by  Northern  ideas  of  these 
virtues,  instead  of  accepting  those  they  found  there. 
Sometimes  they  wrote  indignant  letters  to  their  friends  at 
home ;  but  it  was  fortunate  that  the  greater  part  of  the 
evil  things  said  of  them  by  the  neighboring  Christians 
never  came  to  their  knowledge,  and  their  hearts  were  too 
pure  to  comprehend  the  foul  innuendoes  which  floated  by 
them.  So  they  went  on,  teaching  as  they  had  been 
taught,  those  who  had  been  all  their  lives  thitherto 
untaught ;  and  the  others  went  on  hating  and  defaming 
them  (as  they  were  hated  and  defamed  [?]  ),  because  such  a 
course  was  counter  to  their  traditions,  and  those  who  did  it 
were  their  hereditary  enemies.*  And  both,  no  doubt,  felt 
that  they  were  doing  God's  service  w^ith  their  might.''  f 

On  entering  the  building,  the  young  men  walked  the 
full  length  of  the  aisle  and  were  offered  seats  by  the  old 
men  in  the  "  amen  corner,"  w^hich  Avere  accepted  with 
thanks.  The  teachers,  who  appeared  to  range  in  age 
from  the  daw^n  of  the  hopeless  period  of  spinster-hood  to 
the  period  of  flat  and  angular  forms  and  sour  tempers,  sat 
upon  the  broad  platform,  from  which  the  movable  pulpit 
had  been  banished  to  a  corner  of  the  building.  One  w^as 
reading  a  chapter  from  the  Old  Testament,  describing  a 
terrible  slaughter  inflicted  by  the  children  of  Israel  upon 
some  unfortunate  clan  whose  lands  they  desired  to  possess  ; 
which,  being  concluded,  a  prayer  Avas  offered,  reminding 

*  Why  should  those  oflBcious  interlopers  have  felt  themselves  to  be 
hereditary  enemies  of  the  white  people  ?  Alas !  there  is  no  enmity  so 
unreasonable  and  yet  so  bitter  as  that  which  is  excited  by  a  sense  of 
having  taken  a  mean  advantage  of  an  honorable  adversary  I 

t  Taken  from  "  A  Fool's  Errand."     Pages  103-5. 


V 


444        THE   MISSION   SCHOOL — A   NEW   TEACHER. 

the  Father  of  his  promises  and  duties,  by  another,  and 
then  the  school  was  declared  open.  One  of  them  arose, 
and,  taking  a  pair  of  steel-rimmed  glasses  from  her  nose, 
addressed  the  vast  assemblage  in  a  voice  which,  but  for 
the  nasal  twang  peculiar  to  New  England  Puritans,  would 
have  been  rather  pleasant  than  otherwise. 

"  My  friends,"  she  said,  '^  we  have  two  visitors  to-day 
who  are  not  in  sympathy  with  us,  but  are  prompted  by 
motives  of  curiosity — we  will  hope  by  no  worse  motive — 
to  visit  our  school  and  witness  our  exercises.  We  have 
nothing  to  conceal,  and  as  these  visitors  will  doubtless 
deport  themselves  properly,  I  desire  that  they  shall  be 
treated  with  respect. 

"It  has  been  reported  to  these  visitors,  that  certain 
colored  people  who  have  been  in  the  habit  of  attending 
our  exercises  occasionally,  have  been  threatened  with 
expulsion  from  this  building,  because  they  have  become 
^  white  folks^  niggers,'  whatever  that  may  be,  and  because 
they  have  withdrawn  from  the  loyal  league,  and  do  not 
join  in  other  things  that  please  and  interest  you.  I  hope 
there  will  be  no  disturbance  in  this  church.  This  is  a  free 
country  now — as  free  as  my  own  native  IMassachusetts — 
and  all  are  free  alike.  If  there  are  black  sheep  in  our 
flock,  and  I  may  say  I  fear — indeed,  I  know  there  are ; 
even  thev '' 

"  We's  all  black,  ole  mistis  !  '^  shouted  a  denselv  black 
woman,  who  doubtless  thought  some  allusion  was  made 
to  herself,  and  who  had  been  enviously  admiring  some 
mulatto  girls  on  the  bench  in  front  of  herself.  "  Dese 
yaller  gals,  wid  all  dar  ribbins  an'  feathers,  is  es  black 
sheep  es  anybody  ! '' 

"  Silence  ! ''  commanded  the  old  lady,  angrily.  "  I  say 
if  there  are  unworthy  members  here,  they  are  free  too ; 


"SINGING   SCHOOLS."  445 

no  less  free  than  you  all  are,  and  I  hope  they  will  not  be 
molested  in  the  church,  so  long  as  they  deport  themselves 
in  a  seemly  manner.  We  will  begin,  as  usual,  with  the 
first  chant." 

Then,  for  more  than  an  hour,  there  was  that  promiscuous 
chanting,  which  gave  these  schools,  among  the  negroes, 
the  name  of  "  singing  schools."  Everything  was  chanted 
from  the  emancipation  proclamation  to  a  spelling  lesson  ; 
or  a  geography  lesson,  locating  Boston  in  the  centre  of 
the  universe,  and  crediting  it  Avith  being  a  perennial  fount 
from  which  flows  only  blessings  for  all  the  human  family. 
There  was  but  little  in  the  catechism  which  they  chanted 
to  remind  the  negroes  of  the  simple  one  which  they  had 
repeated  in  childhood.  It  was  evidently  gotten  up  for  the 
benefit  of  the  negroes,  to  teach  chiefly,  that  the  '  Rebels  ^ 
were  responsible  for  the  sin  of  slavery  and  for  all  the  out- 
rages and  bloodshed  of  the  war ;  that  John  Brown  was  a 
saint  and  a  martyr,  and  that  the  teachers,  loyal  league 
emissaries,  freedman^s  bureau  agents,  missionaries,  etc., 
were  only  humble  followers  of  his,  who  were  ready,  if 
need  be,  to  sacrifice  their  lives,  as  he  had  done,  for  their 
good.  After  something  over  an  hour  of  chanting,  there 
was  another  short  prayer,  and  the  principal  announced 
that,  as  "  Brother  Wheeless  had  been  unexpectedly  called 
to  a  distant  part  of  the  county,"  there  would  be  no  sermon. 

"We  will  sing,"  she  added,  "the  John  Brown  chant, 
and  have  a  short  lecture  from  Sister  Seward,  on  the  duties 
of  the  hour." 

"  ]\Iadam,"  said  Mr.  Stewart,  rising  to  his  feet,  and 
speaking  deferentially,  "  will  you  permit  me  to  ask  that 
they  be  allowed  to  sing,  instead  of  the  chant  suggested, 
some  old  familiar  hvmn — somethino^  to  which  thev  have 
been  accustomed,  and  which  will  create  a  devotional  feel- 


446         THE   MISSION   SCHOOL — A   NEW   TEACHER. 

ing  on  this  holy  Sabbath  day  ?  I  would  suggest  '  Jesus, 
lover  of  my  soul.'  " 

"  We  have  taught  them/'  replied  the  principal,  ^^  to 
sing  new  tunes  and.  chants.  We  prefer  that  they  shall 
have  nothing  to  remind  them  of  their  past  degradation. 
Of  course,  I  could  have  no  other  objection  to  the  hymn 
you  suggest,  which  is  one  of  Wesley's  most  inspired  and 
inspiring  compositions.     We  will  sing  the  chant." 

The  entire  assembly  joined  in  the  singing,  but  without 
the  spirit  which  large  congregations  of  negroes  usually 
engage  in  such  exercises.  As  soon  as  the  last  note  was 
sounded,  ^Ir.  Conrad  addressed  the  principal : 

"Madam,"  he  said,  speaking  earnestly  and  rapidly, 
"  will  you  allow  me  to  speak  a  few  words  to  the  people — 
only  a*  few  words,  and  for  their  good  only  ?  I  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Union  army,  from  the  summer  of  sixty-one 
to  the  last  day  at  Appomattox.  If  the  credit  of  freeing 
the  slaves  belongs  to  the  Union  armies,  as  it  certainly 
does,  I  claim  to  have  entitled  myself  to  one  man's  full 
share  of  that  credit.  The  colored  people  have  not  a  truer 
friend  from  the  North  than  I  am.  I  am  so  true  a  friend 
that  it  grieves  me  to  see  them  being  misled  by  flattery  ; 
and  I  wish  only  to  remind  them  that  they  have  faults  and 
failings  like  the  balance  of  mankind ;  and  that  some  of 
those  faults  and  failings  may  be  envy,  hatred  and  malice, 
which  I  do  not  think  belong  naturally  to  their  characters 
in  their  present " 

"  Are  you  making  a  speech,  sir,"  asked  the  principal, 
angrily,  "  or  asking  permission  to  do  so  ?  " 

"  I  am  only  speaking  a  few  words,  with  your  permission, 
I  hope.  There  is  a  knowledge  which  I  am  lead  to  believe 
this  congregation " 

"  I  must  ask  you  to  desist,  sir ! "  said  the  old  lady, 


"put  him  out."  447 

excitedly.  "  This  is  our  mission,  and  we  propose  to  teach 
these  people  as  Ave  think  best  for  their  good.  If  the  best 
interests  of  yourselves  and  others  conflict  with  theirs^  I 
can  only  regret  that  it  is  so ;  and  I  shall  not  shirk  my 
solemn  duty  on  that  account." 

"  But  there  is  no  conflict,  madam !  AYhat  is  for  the 
real  good  of  one  class  of  society  cannot  fail  to  reflect  a 
benefit  upon  Society  generally.  The  object  which  brought 
me  here  to-day  was  to  lend  a  helping  hand  toward  keep- 
ing the  peace ;  and  we  had  hoped  you  would  give  us  your 
assistance  in  that " 

"  Yott  came  to  make  a  speech,  sir,"  interrupted  the  old 
lady,  sarcastically,  "and  it  seems  you  mean  to  do  so 
whether  I  consent  or  no  ! " 

"  I  came  to  act  the  part  of  a  peacemaker,  and  I  do 
desire  to  say  to  this  congre — — " 

"  We  desire  no  speech,  sir  !  and  if  we  washed  to  hear 
an  oration,  we  should  prefer  to  select  the  orator." 

"  Pardon  me,  madam,  but  I  am " 

"  Silence,  sir ! "  exclaimed  the  old  lady,  angrily  and 
authoritatively.    "  If  you  persist  I  shall " 

"  Put  him  out ! "  was  shouted  from  a  far  comer  of  the 
building. 

"  Shet  your  fool  niouf,  you  sassy  young  nigger," 
exclaimed  a  voice  close  bv  the  would-be  law  breaker. 
But  immediately  another  voice,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
house,  echoed  the  cry  : 

"  Put  him  out ! "  This  too  was  reproved  by  some  one 
near  by,  but  it  caused  a  buzz  in  that  part  of  the  building. 

"  Put  him  out  ! "  shouted  a  brawny  young  fellow, 
springing  upon  a  bench  in  the  lower  part  of  the  house. 

This  stai-ted  a  storm  of  cries,  which  ran  over  all  the 
lower  part  of  the  house  and  created  much  commotion. 


448         THE   MISSION   SCHOOL — A   NEW   TEACHER. 

"  Put  him  out,  d — n  liim  !  Squelch  the  old  rebel.  Put 
him  out  r'  Y^ 

*'  He's  a  Yankee  whelp — smash  de  'ceitful  Yankee  dat 
has  done  gone  back  on  his — on  our  color  !  '^  etc.,  etc. 

All  the  lower  portion  of  the  house  was  immediately 
thrown  into  confusion,  and  there  seemed  to  be  a  dis- 
position to  make  a  rush  upon  the  two  white  men  in  the 
front,  who  had  mounted  the  benches,  and  were  close 
observers  of  every  movement,  while  the  frightened 
females  screamed  themselves  hoarse  commanding  ^^  order." 
Women  screamed  and  clung  to  the  collars  or  coat-skirts 
of  their  husbands  or  brothers,  and  old  men  wrestled  with 
their  sons. 

"  Let  me  go  ! "  shouted  one ;  "  I's  gwine  to  stand  up  for 
debosso'  ^DeOaks!'" 

In  an  instant  he  fell  senseless  from  a  blow  dealt  him  in 
the  face,  and  the  next  moment  the  assailant  fell  across 
him,  and  so  it  went  until  perhaps  a  dozen  were  down. 
The  old  people  in  the  "  solemn  corner "  around  the  two 
white  men,  left  their  seats  and  crowded  upon  the  platform 
with  the  teachers.  But  their  places  were  instantly  filled. 
Through  the  window  at  the  back  of  the  benches  sprang  a 
dozen  or  more  dusky  and  stalwart  forms,  with  glaring 
eyes  and  dilated  nostrils,  and  placed  themselves  by  the 
side  of  the  white  men.  This  sudden  apparition  of  dusky 
warriors,  well  armed  with  heavy  walking  sticks  of  green 
hickory,  coming  to  back  the  two  young  men  whose  cool- 
ness, under  the  circumstances,  had  already  half  demoral- 
ized the  mob,  caused  the  hesitating  young  rabble  to  come 
to  a  sudden  standstill,  and  to  look  helplessly  around  as  if 
in  search  of  a  leader.  Peter  Dillard,  seeing  that  the  decisive 
moment  had  arrived,  and  that  a  bloodless  victory  was  within 
his  grasp,  threw  his  stick  out  of  the  window,  and  shouted  : 


*^  CLASPED   HANDS."  449 

"  Go  back  to  your  seats,  boys !  Your  mammies  is 
^shamed  of  you  !  My  brethren  we  will  sing,  ^  Jesus  lover 
of  my  soul.'  '^ 

He  instantly  raised  the  hymn,  throwing  the  full  power 
of  his  strong  voice  into  each  note,  and  his  own  party, 
with  a  few  scattering  voices  here  and  there  over  the  house, 
immediately  joined  in.  Before  the  first  stanza  was 
finished,  nearly  all  had  given  in  to  the  influence  of  the 
music  and  sentiment,  as  Peter  knew,  from  experience, 
would  be  the  case  if  he  could  once  get  that  favorite  hymn 
fairly  started.  Ah!  how  like  old  times  sounded  that 
familiar  hymn  in  the  full  chorus  of  strong  voices  !  How 
it  reminded  all  of  good  old  Brother  Elliott,  who  was 
beloved  by  every  colored  individual  present,  during  his 
life,  and  w^hose  memory  was  still  revered  by  them  !  As 
the  full  volume  of  the  ancient,  sad  and  solemn  melody 
"  shook  the  air,''  and  rolled  up  in  a  vast  flood  to  the  wide- 
spreading  span  of  rough  clap-boards,  seeming  to  threaten 
to  burst  all  bounds  and  deluge  the  forest  with  music,  the 
assembly  under^^ent  a  change  which  seemed  singular  and 
unaccountable  to  the  few  people  of  Northern  birth  who 
witnessed  it.  Under  the  influence  of  that  prime  favorite 
of  all  the  hymns  formerly  sung  by  them,  the  simple  faith 
of  the  impressionable  children  of  nature,  as  it  had  been 
taught  to  them  in  childhood  at  the  knee  of  some  good  old 
mammy,  or  standing  in  a  semi-circle  in  front  of  some 
kind  old  mistress,  returned  to  them  in  all  its  pristine 
force,  and  they  forgot  for  the  moment  all  but  the  simple 
fact  that  the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus  of  Nazareth  died  for 
mankind,  and  enjoined  that  they  should  love  one  another. 
Men  who  but  a  few  moments  before  had  struggled  with 
each  other,  clasped  hands  in  token  of  reconciliation,  women 
threw  their  arms  around  one  another  and  wept,  and  old 


450         THE   MISSION   SCHOOL A    NEW   TEACHER. 

men  went  from  seat  to  seat  shaking  hands  with  all,  while 
tears  coursed  down  their  sable  cheeks. 

As  soon  as  the  last  note  was  sounded,  Mr.  Conrad  sprang 
upon  a  bench  and  exclaimed  : 

"  My  friends,  I  asked  of  another  permission  to  address 
you;  now  I  ask  you  if  you  will  permit  me  to  say  a  few 
words  about  Him  who  died  for  us  all  ?  " 

^'  Speak  !  speak  !  speak  ! "  was  shouted  from  every 
part  of  the  house,  and  the  teachers  arose  as  if  to  leave 
the  building. 

^^  JNIadam,^^  said  Mr.  Conrad,  addressing  the  principal, 
"  I  hope  you  will  remain.  I  have  but  little  to  say  and 
shall  detain  you  but  a  few  moments.  My  friends,"  he 
added,  turning  to  the  vast  audience,  "  it  was  very  evident 
to  me,  while  you  were  offering  that  grand  musical  prayer, 
that  you  were  not  repeating  empty,  unmeaning  words,  but 
that  your  hearts  were  speaking  earnestly  and  in  good  faith 
to  Him  who  died  for  all  the  children  of  Adam — for  me 
as  well  as  for  you,  and  for  those  toward  whom  you  may 
feel  angered  as  well  as  for  your  friends.  He  did  not  die 
for  one  race,  or  one  class,  or  one  condition  of  men,  but 
for  all  mankind  ;  and  in  him  all  men  are  brothers.  From 
the  fair  Caucasian  Mountains  to  the  burning  sands  of 
Africa ;  from  the  utmost  limits  of  the  East  to  the  farthest 
stretch  of  the  AYest,  those  who  believe  on  Him,  and  act 
up  to  their  belief,  are  brothers,  and  as  brothers  He  com- 
mands us  to  love  one  another.  Love  is  the  great  example 
which  His  life  on  earth  gave  us.  Love  thy  neighbor  as 
thyself  is  the  commandment,  and  is  the  measure  which  we 
should  strive  to  fill,  for  it  is  the  one  by  which  we  shall 
surely  be  measured  hereafter.  It  is,  alas  !  too  often  the 
case  that  envy,  hatred  and  malice,  fill  hearts  which  hon- 
estly believe  they  are  doing  His  holy  work ;    that  pride 


"the  lscariots."  451 

and  all  uncharitableness  actuate  persons  who  believe  they 
are  laboring  in  His  cause  ;  and  while  they  are  singing 
peans  to  themselves,  the  angels  in  heaven  are  weeping 
over  the  results  of  their  work. 

"  In  your  beautiful  hymn  you  sang  : 

'  Hide  me,  O  my  vSaviour,  hide, 
'Till  the  storm  of  life  be  past !' 

and  I  want  to  caution  you,  my  friends,  against  your  own 
evil  passions  and  misdirected  zeal  which  will  make,  as  is 
the  general  experience  of  life,  the  worst  part  of  the  storm 
from  which  you  pray  to  be  hidden.  Do  not  suffer  your 
hearts  to  be  fired  against  any  of  God's  creatures.  If  you 
can  bear  malice  in  your  hearts  :  if  you  can  wish  evil  to 
your  neighbor ;  if  you  can  desire  to  do  injury  to  any  of 
God's  creatures,  then  that  beautiful  prayer  is  an  impious 
blasphemy  upon  your  lips. 

"  You  have  been  taught  that  it  is  a  religious  duty  incum- 
bent on  you  to  ^  stand  up  for  your  blood  and  color  ^  right 
or  wrong,   and  to   regard   with   suspicion,   distrust  and 
aversion,  those  of  your  own  race  who  do  not  accept  this 
teaching.     This  lesson  has  been  given  you,  not  by  teachers 
of  vour  own  blood  and  color,  but  of  mine.     If  that  could 
be  accepted  as  a  religious  duty,  is  it  not  as  incumbent  on 
the  white  man  as  on  the  black  ?     Believe  me,  if  your 
teaching  shall  produce  a  conflict  of  races,  you  will  find  it  so ! 
The  traitors,  the  Iscariots  of  my  race,  may  fire  your  hearts 
and  direct  vou  on  the  road  to  ruin,  but  if  you  follow  it,  woe 
to   you !    Blood  is  thicker  than  water  !     Brothers  may 
quarrel  and  raise  armies  to  slaughter  each  other,  but  woe  to 
the  alien  who,  presuming  upon  their  supposed  hatred,  steps 
in  to  put  his  foot  upon  the  neck  of  the  fallen  one  !     If 
you  suffer  your  untutored  minds  to  be  goaded  to  -phvenzy, 


452         THE   MISSION   SCHOOL — A   NEW   TEACHER. 

beware  of  the  consequences  !  The  true  people  of  the 
North,  those  whose  services  in  the  army  gave  the  gov- 
ernment the  power  to  emancipate  you,  and  without  whose 
services  the  proclamation  of  emancipation  would  have  been 
a  ridiculous  farce,  will  never  raise  a  finger  to  make  you, 
what  God  never  intended  you  to  be,  rulers  over  people  of 
their  own  blood.  No  !  believe  me,  they  will  stand  aloof, 
and  having  lost  all  sympathy  for  you  on  account  of  the 
evil  passions  which  you  evince  under  the  infiuence  of  evil 
teaching,  they  will  laugh  at  the  calamity  which  you  may 
bring  upon  yourselves  !  We  desire  to  see  you  contented 
and  happy.  You  have  now  an  opportunity  to  prove  that 
you  can  govern  yourselves  and  can  preserve  the  civiliza- 
tion which  has  been  given  you.  If  you  accomplish  this, 
you  will  accomplish  all  that  can  be  reasonably  expected  of 
you  by  those  who  know  the  history  of  your  race.  Can 
you  and  will  you  do  it,  despite  all  the  evil  influences 
which  now  are,  or  may  hereafter  be  brought  to  bear  on 
you  ?     Let  us  hope  so  ! 

"  In  this  vast  assemblage  there  are  but  two  persons  who 
ever  raised  an  arm  to  give  the  government  the  power  to 
free  you  from  slavery.  One  of  these  is  this  stalwart 
hero,"  laying  his  hand  upon  Peter  Dillard's  arm.  "  While 
he  was  fighting  to  free  you,  do  you  suppose  he  anticipated 
being  made  a  slave  to  your  caprices  ?  By  no  means ! 
You  all  know  how  this  house  was  built.  He  did  more 
than  any  dozen  of  you  to  secure  its  erection,  and  his 
white  friends  contributed  all  of  the  necessary  means  and 
money.  He  claims  the  right  to  attend  here  upon  the 
same  terms  and  conditions  that  may  be  imposed  upon 
others.  You  have  no  right  to  deny  him  this  privilege ; 
and  it  is  proper  that  it  should  be  fully  understood  that 
he,  and  others  who  have  fallen  under  the  displeasure  of 


"OLE   ADAM."  453 

some  of  you,  intend  to  exercise  their  rights  in  this  partic- 
ular. I  have  tried  to  dissuade  them,  but  I  cannot  shake 
their  determination,  nor  can  I  censure  the  honest  indigna- 
tion which  they  feel  at  the  course  that  has  been  pursued 
toward  them.  I  hope  your  teachers  will  join  me  in  the 
effort  to  keep  the  peace.  We  must  all  try  to  exercise  for- 
bearance and  Christian  charity.  Let  us  all  lay  aside  arro- 
gant selfishness  as  far  as  possible,  and  try  to  imitate  the 
example  of  Him  who,  though  the  Ruler  of  the  universe,  re- 
buked the  pride  of  power  and  taught  meekness  and  humility. 
I  thank  you,  my  friends,  for  your  polite  attention." 

As  the  young  man  turned  and  bowed  to  the  ladies  as  a 
sort  of  mute  apology  for  having  been  compelled  to  turn 
his  back  upon  them  while  speaking,  there  was  a  general 
clapping  of  hands,  and  a  cry  of  "  Peter  Dillard  !  Peter 
Dillard  !     Speech  !     Speech  ! " 

Peter  arose  in  some  confusion  and  said  : 

"  My  fren^s,  dar's  but  one  sort  o'  agyment  I  knows  much 
about,  an'  dat's  de  one  I  flung  ouf  n  de  winder ;  an'  de 
boss  has  done  made  me  'shamed  dat  I  thought  'bout  usin' 
dat,  diggers  min's  ain't  like  white  fokes  min's.  I  has 
done  found  dat  out.  Ef  white  fokes  gits  into  a  tight 
place  dey  fin's  a  way  to  git  out  widout  no  big  rumpus, 
but  dey  carries  de  pint  all  de  same.  Ef  a  nigger  gits  into 
a  tight  place  he  don't  know  but  two  ways  out.  One  is 
back  out,  an'  tother  is  fight  out.  De  fust  is  de  Christon's 
duty,  I  reckon,  but  it  is  de  most  unsatisfyinest  Christon 
duty  dat  I  ever  tried  my  hand  on.  But  may  by  dat  is 
because  I  lets  de  ole  nigger  dat's  in  me  git  too  big  for  his 
britches.  We  all  has  to  fite  de  ole  Adam  dat's  in  us,  an 
maby  de  niggers'  ole  Adam  is  bigger  an'  tuffer  dan  de 
white  fokses.  You  all  know  dat  he  is  mighty  big  an'  tuff, 
but  I's  gwine  to  put  up  a  job  on  him.     I's  gwine  to  come 


454        THE   MISSION   SCHOOL — A   NEW   TEACHER. 

to  dis  church,  no  matter  who's  agin  it ;  but  I  ain't  gwine 
to  bring  no  hickory  stick  argyment ;  an'  ef  anybody  smites 
me  on  one  cheek  I's  gwine  to  come  in  here  an'  pray  for 
him,  rememberin'  what  de  Blessed  One  said  'bout  ^  resent 
ye  not  evil.'     An'  I  hopes " 

"I  think  this  desecration  of  the  Sabbath,"  said  the 
principal,  arising  and  going  to  the  front  of  the  platform, 
"has  gone  quite  far  enough.  You  are  dismissed.  Sir," 
she  added,  turning  to  Mr.  Conrad;  "I  hope  you  are  satis- 
fied with  the  manner  in  which  you  have  carried  your  point! 
I  shall  report  you  and  that  man  to  the  Freedman's  Bureau 
for  disturbing  our  Sabbath  devotions,  and  trying  to  neu- 
tralize the  good  work' we  are  doing  h^re." 

"Madam,"  replied  Mr.  Conrad,  politely,  "if  I  have 
said  things  that  offend  you  I  regret  very  deeply  the  neces- 
sity. As  regards  your  threat,  I  too  could  make  a  report ; 
for  I  flatter  myself  that  I  could  exercise  some  influence 
with  the  Head  of  the  Administration." 

"  And  what  would  your  report  to  the  ^  Head  of  the 
Administration  '  avail,  pray  ?  "  asked  the  woman,  con- 
temptuously. "  The  government  has  no  more  authority 
over  us,  or  our  affairs,  than  have  you,  or  the  rebels  whom 
you  are  aiding  and  abetting." 

"  I  am  aware  of  that  lamentable  fact,  but  it  has  power 
over  the  Freedman's  Bureau,  which  you  have  pressed  into 
your  service,  and  point  to  so  complacently  when  you 
desire  to  intimidate  the  white  people  or  encourage  the 
blacks." 

"  Do  not  place  too  much  faith  in  the  administration, 
sir.  We  '  philanthropists,'  as  we  are  contemptuously 
called  here,  have  made  up  our  minds  to  manage  aflairs 
here  as  we  see  fit ;  and  the  president  will  find  it  to 
his     interest    to     keep    out    of    our   way.      If  in    the 


a  r^TTT>       C.TTT7IT7n:^T>  A  T»T/-iT:^    '» 


OUR   SUFFERANCE."  455 

past  we  had  the  ability  to  make  tools  of  the 
government,  the  army  and  navy,  as  you  are  reported 
to  have  said,  is  it  likely  that  now,  in  the  hour  of  our 
triumph,  we  will  be  balked  by  a  plebeian  president,  who 
is  really  a  rebel  at  heart,  and  who  already  knows  that  he 
holds  his  office  only  by  our  sufferance." 

"  Will  you  please  inform  me  whom  you  refer  to  when 
you  speak  of  '  our  sufferance  ^  ?  " 

"  I  refer  to  the  power  behind  the  throne.  The  power 
which  forced  Mr,  Lincoln  to  rise  superior  to  his  indiffer- 
ence on  the  subject  of  slavery  and  become  the  mouthpiece 
of  the  Abolition  party — to  become  ashamed  of  his  truck- 
ling to  the  constitution  and  traditions  of  the  coimtry, 
so-called,  and  to  consult  only  the  interests  of  human  rights 
and  universal  freedom;  The  power  which  made  General 
Sherman  prevaricate  like  a  whipped  school  boy  after  his 
disgraceful  terms  of  surrender  offered  to  General  Johnston ; 
and  which  forced  even  the  sphinx-like  Grant  to  palter 
with  reference  to  the  secretaryship  of  war.  The  power 
which  has  made  the  Hon.  Thaddeus  Stevens,  and 
many  others,  so  earnest  in  its  cause  as'  to  be  considered 
monomaniacs  by  the  traitorous  opposition  party ;  and  the 
power  which  will  yet  hurl  Andy  Johnson  from  the 
presidency,  and  bury  in  the  political  potter's-field  all  who 
oppose  it ! " 

"  Do  not  place  too  much  reliance  on  the  continued 
angry  passions  of  those  whose  cooperation  has  given  you 
power.  Fanaticism,  disguised  as  patriotism,  may  direct 
affairs  in  time  of  great  public  excitement,  but  the  excite- 
ment of  our  people  is  passing  off,  and  your  fanaticism  is 
growing  too  large  for  its  mask.  The  true  patriots,  who 
have  no  fear  of  your  political  potter\s-field,  will  thwart 
your  wicked  designs ;  and  though  the  rabble  may  now 


456        THE  MISSION  SCHOOL — A  NEW  TEACHEB. 

applaud,  the  finger  of  scorn  will  yet  find  in  you  its  polar 
star  ! " 

Without  deigning  to  reply,  the  old  lady  turned  her  back 
on  the  impertinent  young  man,  and  swept  grandly  down 
the  middle  aisle  of  the  now  empty  building. 


CHAPTER  XXYIII. 
A  Prophet  Without  Honor  Speaks. 

"  The  dread  of  evil  is  the  worst  of  ill." — Proctor. 

"  Nature  shakes 
About  us;  and  the  universal  frame^s 
So  loose,  that  it  hut  wants  another  push 
To  leap  from  its  hinges'' — Lee's  GEdipus. 

AT  the  time  of  the  visit  of  the  young  masters'  of  "  The 
Oaks/'  to  the  "  Bethel  Mission  School/'  it  was  esti- 
mated that  of  the  three,  or  more,  thousand  negroes  in  the 
fertile  region,  south  of  Barrensville,  there  were  less  than 
four  hundred  at  work  in  the  corn  and  cotton  fields.  The 
price  of  cotton  was  so  very  high,  and  the  enforced  purchase 
of  supplies  of  corn  was  so  ruinous  to  planters,  under  the 
changed  condition  of  aifairs,  that  unusual  efforts  had  been 
put  forth  by  the  white  people  to  insure  the  production  of 
both  crops.  Liberal  propositions  had  been  made  to  the 
colored  people,  which  had  induced  three-fourths  of  them, 
or  perhaps  a  larger  proportion,  to  make  contracts,  for 
wages  or  for  one-half  the  produce,  to  cultivate  the  greater 
portion  of  the  best  lands.  The  majority  of  the  planters 
were  without  cash  in  hand  to  clean  up,  fence  and  stock 
their  plantations,  and  had  been  forced  to  borrow  money 
on  mortgages,  at  a  ruinous  rate  of  interest,  in  order  to  be 
able  to  make  their  lands  give  them  a  bare  subsistence. 
To  those  who  aspired  to  more  than  a  mere  subsistence  for 
their  families,  or  to  a  very  large  majority  of  them,  the 
28  457    . 


458     A  PROPHET  WITHOUT  HONOR  SPEAKS. 

failure  to  make  a  crop  meant  ruin ;  and  self-interest,  that 
motive  which  we  usually  believe  governs  the  impulses  of 
the  human  family,  demanded  of  the  land  owners  that  they 
should  do  all  in  their  power  to  make  the  colored  laborers 
contented  and  happy.  Aside  from  the  promptings  of 
self-interest,  the  general  feeling  toward  the  negro  was 
gratitude  for  his  faithfulness  during  the  war,  in  addition 
to  the  kindly  feelings  which  had  always  been  entertained 
for  him ;  and  mingled  with  all  was  a  feeling  of  pity  for 
him,  now  that  he  had  the  shaping  of  his  own  future  in  his 
hands,  and  was  surrounded,  petted  and  flattered  by  fanat- 
ical zealots,  who,  it  was  believed,  cared  for  him  only  as  a 
tool  to  be  used ;  and  who,  it  was  known,  knew  no  more 
of  his  capabilities  and  natural  instincts,  than  they  did  of 
the  mental  peculiarities  of  the  fire- worshiping  Ghebers  of 
Persia.  Despite  indications  already  given,  the  w^hite 
people  could  not  believe  that  the  negro  w^ould  suffer  his 
passions  to  be  so  highly  inflamed  against  them  as  to  cause 
him  to  ignore  his  omti  personal  interests,  and,  by  violating 
contracts  and  quitting  all  profitable  labor,  refuse  to  pro- 
.  vide  subsistence  for  those  dependent  on  him.  In  the  early 
spring,  when  the  corn  and  cotton  were  planted,  prospects 
seemed  flattering  for  peace  and  plenty,  and  a  return  of  the 
olden  time  prosperity.  But  the  serpent  was  in  this  promised 
Eden.  His  trail  had  been  seen  during  the  previous  year, 
and  though  he  lay  comparatively  dormant  during  the 
short  winter,  he  was  only  waiting  for  the  hot  suns  of  sum- 
mer to  unfold  his  coils  and  tempt  the  unwary  by  offering 
the  apple  of  discord  as  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  knowledge. 
When  the  hot  suns  came  league  meetings,  class  meet- 
ings, love-feasts,  and  "singing-schools"  multiplied,  and 
became  more  earnest  in  their  work,  and  urgent  for  full 
and  regular  attendance  ;  and  there  was  less  and  less  time 


"peace  and  harmoxy  desired  by  all."    459 

to  attend  to  the  cultivation  of  crops.  The  white  people, 
too,  became  "  overbearing/'  and  evinced  a  desire  to  con- 
sider their  laborers  as  bein<y  slaves  still.  Thev  even  went  so 
far  as  to  object  to  their  horses  and  inules  being  ridden  to 
league  meeting  and  "  musters  "  without  their  knowledge 
and  consent.  These  objections  made  the  negroes  unhappy, 
for  had  not  their  labor  created  all  the  wealth  in  the^' 
country,  and  hadn't  thev  the  rio^ht  to  use  it,  and  even  to 
appropriate  it  to  their  exclusive  use,  if  they  should  choose 
to  contend  for  their  just  rights  ?  And  were  they  not 
exercising  true  Christian  forbearance  in  refraining  from 
asserting  and  enforcing  those  rights?  Of  course  they 
were !  Those  who  had  been  prompted  by  a  disinterested  love 
for  the  negro  race,  and  by  an  overpowering  sense  of  their 
direct  responsibility  to  the  Supreme  Ruler  of  the  Universe 
for  the  sins  of  all  mankind,  to  face  death  on  the  battle- 
field— a  few  miles  in  rear  of  the  army — said  so ;  and 
could  God's  chosen  people  lie  like  the  common  white 
trash  that  came  into  existence  beyond  the  confines  of  Xew 
England  ?  No,  indeed  !  The  negroes  desired  peace  and 
harmony  as  much  as  the  white  people  claimed  to  desire 
them,  but  they  owed  a  dutv  to  themselves  and  to  their 
posterity ;  and  even  peace  and  harmony  would  be  pur- 
chased at  too  dear  a  price  if  they  should  necessitate  the 
ignoring  of  their  rights  of  social  equality,  and  the  leaving 
untaught  of  a  lesson  in  humility,  which  it  was  their  privi- 
lege and  duty  to  teach,  "  even  as  they  had  been  taught," 
so  far  as  was  practicable  under  existing  circumstances. 

It  may  easily  be  imagined  that  the  harmony  which  the 
best  interests  of  all  demanded  should  be  preserv^ed,  had 
elements  affecting  it  almost  as  disturbing  as  those  which 
caused  the  misunderstanding's  between  the  famous  cats  of 
Kilkenny.      The  white  people  submitted  patiently,  and 


460  A   PROPHET   WITHOUT   HONOR   SPEAKS. 

with  an  equanimity  that  astonished  the  teachers,  to  their 
lessons  in  humility ;  but  matters  soon  got  so  bad,  with  refer- 
ence to  the  unauthorized  use  of  their  property,  that  they  were 
forced  to  adopt  general  rules  for  self-protection.  Accord- 
ingly, the  planters  resolved,  generally  in  neighborhood 
meetings,  that  their  horses  and  mules  should  not  be  rid- 
den, even  on  Sundays,  without  their  consent,  to  be 
obtained  in  each  individual  case ;  and  when  so  ridden,  the 
party  or  parties  violating  the  resolution  should  be  consid- 
ered as  having  hired  the  animals,  and  should  be  charged 
with  the  same,  at  the  rate  of  one  dollar  per  day  ;  and  if  the 
party  should  be  a  laborer  for  fixed  wages,  he  should  be 
charged  for  all  time  so  lost  from  work,  at  the  ][>er  diem 
rate  of  his  monthly  pay. 

The  enforcing  of  this  resolution  was  the  fatal  feather 
that  fractured  the  spinal  column  of  the  Union  League's 
and  mission-school's  patience  and  forbearance  ;  and  was 
the  "  direful  spring  "  of  more  "  woes  unnumbered  "  than 
were  ever  dreamed  of  in  the  philosophy  of  "Achilles^ 
wrath."  It  was  regarded  as  evincing  a  fixed  determina- 
tion on  the  part  of  the  former  masters  to  keep  the  blacks 
under  "  a  serfdom  more  galling,  if  possible,  and  less  to  be 
desired  than  had  been  chattel  slavery."  The  negroes 
resented  it  as  an  insult,  which  said,  as  if  in  plain  words, 
that  they,  like  the  horses  and  mules,  were  only  fit  to  work 
the  land  and  be  the  hired  slaves  of  those  who  had  formerly 
claimed  them  as  property.  Contracts  for  the  year's  labor 
were  abandoned  by  many,  and  generally  when  half  the 
negroes  had  disappeared  from  a  place,  the  mules,  cows, 
hogs,  etc.,  would  also  begin  to  disappear — "  lost,  strayed 
or  surreptitiously  seized  for  debt."  These  surreptitious 
seizures  were  taught  to  be  not  morally  wrong — of  course, 
many  did   not  pause   to  view   the   matter  from  a  moral 


*^  ^  JUSTICE  '  OPENS   POLLING    BOOTHS."  461 

standpoint — for  had  not  the  negroes  been  laboring  for  five 
or  six  months,  and  now  having  been  "  forced  by  unjust 
and  contemptuous  treatment ''  to  abandon  their  contracts, 
were  they  not  entitled  to  compensation  for  the  labor  they 
had  done?  It  is  true  the  weeds  had  sprung  up  and 
destroyed  the  abandoned  crops,  and  the  planters  had  lost 
all  the  money  expended  in  fitting  up  for  the  cultivation 
of  the  land,  but  the  negroes  were  not  to  blame  for  that ! 
They  had  labored  and  delved,  and  no  one  could  deny  that 
"  the  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire  ! " 

Those  who  had  contracted  to  work  for  money  wages, 
with  the  understanding,  of  course,  that  the  work  was  to 
be  carried  through  to  the  desired  result  of  a  gathered  and 
housed  crop,  had  still  another  advantage.  In  the  great 
eagerness  to  procure  laborers,  the  planters  having  ascer- 
tained that  the  negroes  had  become  suspicious,  and  were 
averse  to  "  putting  their  hands  to  "  a  written  contract,  had 
for  the  most  part,  made  verbal  agreements  only  ;  and 
when  the  Freedman's  Bureau  was  appealed  to,  it  was 
an  easv  matter  for  anv  neo^ro  to  ^^outswear'^  the  best  white 
man  in  the  country,  and  to  trump  every  witness  he  could 
produce  ^^^th  tv.o  or  three,  or  half  a  dozen,  of  their  own 
color.  In  such  contests,  the  office  of  the  Bureau  became 
a  mere  polling  booth  in  which  the  witness  deposited  his 
testimony  for  his  favorite,  regardless  of  any  personal 
knowledge  of  facts.  It  is  proper  to  state,  however,  that 
there  were  some  honorable  exceptions  to  this  rule,  and 
that  some  Bureau  officers  were  conscientious,  unprejudiced 
men  ;  but  it  is  also  proper  to  state  that  the  "  missionaries  " 
generally  procured  the  removal  of  such  sooner  or  later,  and 
generally  as  soon  as  they  had  clearly  evinced  their  want 
of  a  proper  fanatical  bias.  One  of  the  brotherhood  who 
was   never   removed,  but,  on  the  contrary,  was  honored 


462  A   PROPHET    WITHOUT    HONOR   SPEAKS. 

and  promoted,  speaks  thus  of  the  fraternity  and  their 
bias  : 

"  Perhaps  the  most  outrageous  and  debasing  of  all  the 
acts  of  the  Bureau,  in  the  eyes  of  those  who  loved  to  term 
themselves  ^  the  South/  was  the  fact  that  its  officers  and 
a2:ents  first  of  all  allowed  the  colored  man  to  be  sworn  in 
opposition  to  and  in  contradiction  of  the  word  of  a  white  man. 
*  *  *  To  be  summoned  before  the  officer  of  the  Bureau, 
confronted  with  a  negro  who  denied  his  most  solemn  aver- 
ments, and  was  protected  in  so  doing  by  the  officer,  who, 
perhaps,  showed  the  bias  of  the  oppressor  by  believing 
the  negro  instead  of  the  gentleman,  was  unquestionably, 
to  the  Southerner,  the  most  degrading  ordeal  he  could  by 
any  possibility  be  called  upon  to  go  through."  * 

The  ordeal  was  considered  degrading,  but  not  to  the 
gentleman.  He  felt  himself  to  be  above  the  reach  of  the 
malignant  spite  of  such  creatures.  It  was  degrading  to 
the  negro  ;  for  the  premium  offered  to  perjury  was  robbing 
him  of  the  morality  and  civilization  which  were  the 
outgrowth  of  two  centuries  of  vigorous  teaching  in  the 
school  of  slavery,  and  was  rendering  him  less  fit  to 
become  the  enfranchised  sovereign  which  it  was  seen  the 
lust  for  party  power  intended  to  make  him.  It  was  con- 
sidered as  tending  to  produce  a  certain  degree  of  degrada- 
tion amongst  the  less  conscientious  of  the  white  people 
also  ;  for  many  felt  justified  in  fighting  perjury  with 
suborned  testimony,  in  order  to  protect  themselves  from 
robbeiy,  or  from  false  imprisonment.  The  thought  of 
all  this  was  extremelv  humiliatino;  to  the  man  who  had 
been  accustomed  to  feel  a  pride  in  the  civilization  of  his 
age  and  people ;  but  not  so  humiliating  as  was  the 
degrading  sight  of  a  tribunal,  assuming  to  represent  the 

*  "  Bricks  without  Straw."     Tages  113-14. 


^'THE    MOST    DEGRADING    ORDEAL."  463 

best  phase  of  that  civilization,  and  yet  suffering  itself  to 
be  actuated  by  petty  spite  toward  an  honorable  and 
unarmed  foe,  who  had  asked  to  be  no  longer  considered  as 
a  foe,  to  show  a  vindictive  and  unreasoning  leaning  in 
favor  of  the  most  degraded  and  vicious  class  of  society. 

All  of  these  troubles  had  been  bravely  met  by  the 
masters  of  ''The  Oaks.''  Mr.  Stewart  had  made  all  the 
contracts,  and  therefore  Mr.  Conrad,  who  knew  nothing 
of  them,  of  his  own  knowledge,  could  not  swear  in  the 
cases.  All  of  the  negroes  employed  on  the  place,  except 
those  who  were  formerly  Mr.  Stewart's  slaves,  had  been 
hired  for  fixed  wages,  to  be  paid  in  money  out  of  the 
crops  which  should  be  produced  by  themselves.  Dick 
had  not  only  organized  all  the  old  slaves  belonging  to  the 
place,  who  could  be  heard  of  and  communicated  with,* 
into  a  squad,  with  himself  as  foreman,  for  the  cultivation 
of  several  hundred  acres,  but  had  also  hunted  up  and 
hired  the  "stray  niggers"  who  had  now  become  deserters. 
These,  as  just  stated,  had  been  hired  for  fixed  wages,  but 
had  signed  no  written  contract ;  and  the  lustv  weeds  had 
hardly  overtopped  their  abandoned  crops  before  it  was 
suggested  to  them  to  follow  the  general  example  and 
claim  all  arrearages  of  unpaid  w^ages  up  to  the  time  of 
their  desertion.  For  a  time  it  seemed  to  the  masters  of 
"  The  Oaks,"  that  in  addition  to  the  many  thousands  lost 
by  the  desertion  of  the  negroes,  they  would  have  to  pay 

*  It  is  a  singular  fact  that  fewer  than  fifty  per  cent,  of  the  negroes  Avho 
went  otr  with  the  various  P'ederal  armies,  before  the  close  of  the  war, 
have  ever,  to  this  day,  been  heard  of  by  their  friends  and  families. 
There  was  a  general  rumor,  just  after  the  close  of  the  war,  that  negroes 
were  being  induced  to  go  on  pleasure  trips  and  were  taken  over  to  Cuba 
and  sold.  The  writer  laughed  at  these  rumors  at  the  time,  but  he  has 
since  had  testimony,  which  he  cannot  doubt,  proving  that  they  were 
not  entirely  without  foundation  in  fact.  Those  who  enlisted  as  soldiers 
all  returned,  or  were  accounted  lor. 


464  A   PROPHET   WITHOUT   HONOR   SPEAKS. 

other  thousands  for  labor  which,  so  far  as  any  benefit  to 
themselves  was  concerned,  had  as  well  have  been  expended 
on  the  desert  of  Sahara.  But  all  of  the  contracts  had 
been  made  through  Dick,  and  when  the  case  came  before 
the  officer  of  the  Bureau,  Mr.  Stewart  was  surprised  to 
find  that  all  of  his  former  slaves  had  as  full  personal 
knowledge  of  the  contracts  as  Dick  himself  had.  This 
gave  him  a  clear  majority  of  witnesses,  and  the  officer 
agreed  to  approve  a  compromise  by  which  the  parties  of 
the  important  part  were  to  have  all  that  they  could  har- 
vest from  the  abandoned  fields.  After  the  adjournment 
of  "  court  ^^  Dick  looked  rather  sheepish  as  he  apologized 
to  the  young  master,  "Dem  abolitioner  preachers  an' 
skool  teachers  says  its  ^  cordin  to  scripter '  to  fight  de 
debil  wid  fire." 

Despondent  and  almost  hopeless,  Mr.  Stewart  wrote  to 
a  Northern  politician  who,  when  statesmanship  was 
valued  at  its  true  worth,  and  before  politics  had  degen- 
erated into  a  scramble  for  office,  had  been  considered  one 
of  the  bright  lights  of  his  section  : 

"  We  have  lost  all  but  honor  and  civilization,  and  now 
efforts  are  being  made  to  rob  us  of  these  through  the  agency 
of  missions,  and  the  Bureau  of  Freedmen,  Refugees  and 
Abandoned  Lands.  Secret  societies,  backed  by  these, 
are  making  rapid  strides  toward  the  accomplishment  of 
what  the  ^  Red  String  Gang '  organization  failed  to  do 
just  previous  to  and  during  the  war.  We  are  being 
attacked  through  the  freedmen,  and  by  means  of  these,  in 
a  new  and  most  embarrassing  manner.  It  is  as  if  the 
ward,  who  has  been  reared  in  one's  house,  had  been  made 
frantic  with  drink,  and  then  armed  and  set  upon  his 
guardian.  We  have  a  warm  feeling  of  attachment  for 
our  former  slaves,  who,  though  still,  as  a  rule,  attached  to 


"the  black  avenger."  465 

their  former  owners,  are  being  inspired  with  a  fierce 
hatred  of  the  white  people  generally.  The  white  people 
owe  them  a  debt  of  gratitude  for  their  fidelity  and  good 
behavior  during  the  war.  It  is  true,  that  as  different 
sections  of  the  country  were  occupied  by  Federal  troops, 
some  few  proved  recreant  to  the  trust  imposed  in  them, 
but  the  percentage  was  very  small.  Fully  ninety-five  per 
cent,  proved  faithful  to  the  end.  What  other  people  ever 
had  so  large  a  proportion  of  an  unhomogeneous  element 
of  its  population  true  under  such  circumstances  of  temp- 
tation on  one  hand  and  trials  and  hardships  on  the  other  ? 
The  history  of  the  world  will  be  searched  in  vain  for  a 
parallel  to  the  devotion  which  our  slaves  evinced  toward 
our  mves  and  children  during  the  entire  term  of  the  war. 
It  is  true  history  furnishes  some  striking  illustrations  of 
the  fidelitv  of  slaves  in  other  countries,  but  none  before 
were  ever  so  beset  by  the  oifer  of  bribes,  bounties,  flatter- 
ies, threats,  and  all  that  might  be  calculated  to  influence 
to  disloyalty  and  desertion.  More  than  two  thousand 
years  ago  the  Carthageniau  leader  Hasdrubal,  was  assassi- 
nated by  a  slave  whose  master  he  had  put  to  death,  but 
it  will  never  be  known*  how  many  Hasdrubals  fell  dur- 
ing our  war — ^  killed  by  bushwackers ' — when  behind 
the  bush  was  only  the  dusky  form  of  a  black  avenger  of 
wrongs  and  outrages  perpetrated  upon  some  defenseless 
old  master  or  young  mistress. 

"  Is  it  not  natural  that  we  should  feel  a  deep  sense  of 
gratitude  toward  these  people  ?  Their  allegiance,  it  is 
true,  was,  for  the  most  part,  only  of  a  passive  character, 
for  we  did  not  choose  to  ask  them  to  fight  for  a  government 
which  meant  to  keep  them  in  servitude,  but  did  so  large  a 
proportion  of  the  population  of  New  England  render  even 
passive  allegiance  to  the  cause  of  their  country  in  the 


466  A    PROPHET    WITHOUT    HONOR   SPEAKS. 

second  war  with  England,  and  again  in  the  war  with 
Mexico  ?  Let  the  recording  scribe  of  true  history  blush 
as  she  makes  answer  to  the  question  ! 

"  I  do  not  say  this  in  a  sarcastic  spirit  to  wound  your 
sectional  pride,  but  only  as  a  means  of  giving  you  an  idea 
of  what  should  be,  and  is,  our  feeling  toward  our  former 
slaves,  and  the  consequent  embarrassment  of  our  present 
position.  Their  hearts  are  being  fired  with  a  fanatical 
mce-hatred,  which,  while  it  stubbornly  makes  exceptions 
of  former  owners  and  other  friends,  is  fast  becoming  an 
unbearable  instrument  of  torture.  It  would  be  hailed — 
joyfully,  we  believe — as  an  act  of  rebellion  if  we  should 
strike  down  the  Iscariot  hands  that  are  making  tools  of 
them,  and  we  have  not  the  heart  to  strike  the  poor  igno- 
rant tool.  Will  not  passion  cool  after  a  time,  and  is  there 
no  possibility  of  present  relief  from  the  devilish  influ- 
ences of  bigoted  fanatics  and  crazy  religionists  ? 

"  You  are  one  of  one  hundred  national  patriots  of  whom, 
including  the  President  of  the  United  States,  we  have 
decided  to  ask  ad\ace.  We  know  that  the  narrow  confines 
of  your  section  do  not  bound  your  emotions  and  sentiments 
of  humanity  and  patriotism,  and  iitthe  name  of  a  despond- 
ing and  almost  despairing  people,  I  ask  you,  who  are 
surrounded  by  the  spirit  and  influences  which  direct  the 
shaping  of  our  destiny,  to  give  us  the  benefit  of  your 
counsel  and  advice,  and  to  interpret  for  us  the  hand- 
writing upon  the  wall." 

A  few  days  later  the  wise  man,  w^ho,  by  the  politicians 
of  his  section,  was  accounted  of  less  consequence  than 
the  Fool  who  does  Errands,  wrote,  in  reply : 

^^  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  slaverv  in  the  South  was 
a  sin,  if  not  a  crime,  in  this  the  nineteenth  century  ;  but 
in  order  to  abolish  it,  we  were  guilty  of  a  greater  sin  or 


^*  THE  SPLP:XDID   career    of   the  REPUBLrC."    467 

crime.  Your  sin  had  no  active  voluntary  element  about 
it,  except  your  frankly  avowed  determination  not  to  make 
experimental  changes  in  the  institution  of  slavery  which 
miglit  possibly  be  fraught  with  danger  to  the  harmony 
and  civilization  of  your  section.  Ours  was  both  active 
and  voluntary,  and  was  reached  through  the  dark  by-ways^ 
of  political  bad  faith  and  treachery. 

"  But,  Avhile  slavery  was  a  crime  against  the  civilized 
slave  in  this  age,  it  Avas,  in  its  beginning  in  this  country, 
only  a  crime  against  the  communities  on  whom  it  was 
imposed.  New  England,  assisted  in  part  by  old  England, 
took  the  wild  savage,  whose  mind  was  as  dark  as  the 
rayless  night  of  barbarism,  Avhich,  from  the  beginning  of 
time,  has  brooded  over  his  land,  from  his  native  jungles 
and  entered  him  in  your  school  of  civilization.  In  doing 
this  they  committed  no  crime  against  the  savage.  But 
after  he  had  attained  proficiency  in  your  school — a  degree 
of  civilization  never  before  known  to  anv  of  his  race — it 
was  proper  that  the  scliool  should  be  discontinued.  The 
civilized  world  can  only  disapprove  of  the  method  of  its 
discontinuance.  New  England  gave  you  these  wild 
Africans  for  your  gold,  but  she  has  expended  the  gold  in 
wresting  them  from  you.  Whether  this  was  an  atone- 
ment, or  a  double  crime,  is  a  question  for  moral  philos- 
ophers whose  minds  are  free  from  the  prejudices  engen- 
dered by  the  political  animosities  of  this  country. 

"  As  to  the  ^  hand- writing  upon  the  wall,'  no  man  who 
is  less  than  a  prophet  can  interpret  that  for  you.  Of  one 
thing,  however,  I  feel  assured.  Years,  decades,  perhaps 
generations,  must  pass,  before  Southern  statesmanship  will 
be  permitted  to  have  any  considerable  influence  in  the 
affairs  of  the  nation.  This  is  a  fact  which  all  thinking 
patriots  must  regret.    The  splendid  career  of  the  Republic, 


468  A    PROPHET   WITHOUT    HONOR   SPEAKS. 

its  great  expansion,  its  increase  in  wealth  and  population, 
all  bear  witness  to  the  excellence  of  Southern  statesmanship 
as  a  controlling  influence  in  the  past.  Think  what  would 
be  the  comparatively  contracted  and  insignificant  area  of 
our  territory  if  New  England  statesmanship  could  have 
had  a  controlling  influence  in  the  affairs  of  the  nation  ! 
Besides,  your  statesmen  were  honest  and  incorruptible, 
and  singularly  free  from  sectional  greed  and  selfishness. 
They  were  vigilant  guardians  of  the  public  treasury,  and 
ever  watchful  opponents  of  hea\'y  taxation,  extravagant 
expenditures,  and  partial  legislation.  They  never  sought 
directly  or  indirectly  any  advantage  over  my  section  or 
any  other  section  of  the  country.  On  the  contrary,  they 
demanded  equality  and  even-handed  justice  for  all,  and  in 
commercial  affairs  were  our  best  friends. 

"  As  regards  the  counsel  which  you  ask,  I  regret  to  say 
that  I  do  not  feel  competent  to  advise.  Passion,  of  course, 
will  cool  after  a  time,  with  the  great  majority  of  the 
people,  but  I  fear  there  is  no  possibility  of  present  relief 
from  the  evil  influences  of  which  you  complain.  Politi- 
cians are  pla}'ing,  as  usual,  at  cross-purposes,  and  if  the 
most  radical  and  unreasonable  shall  continue  to  direct  the 
affairs  of  the  country,  I  fear  the  South  will  have  to 
submit  to  a  tidal  wave  of  barbarism  if,  as  you  fear,  the 
negroes,  under  their  present  advisers  and  leaders,  shall 
ignore  or  disregard  the  teachings  of  Christianity  and  civ- 
ilization which  your  people  imparted  to  them.  The  old 
abolition  element  in  my  section,  which  has  been  the  con- 
trolling influence  throughout  the  war,  will  not  retire  to 
the  shades  of  despised  obscurity,  from  which  it  emerged 
only  a  few  years  ago,  without  a  desperate  struggle,  in 
which  it  is  Avilling  to  sacrifice  and  ruin  not  only  the 
despised  South,  but  our  present  form  of  Constitutional 


"  IT   IS   A    DIABOLICAL   PLOT/^  469 

Republican  government.  It  cannot  hope  to  make  polit- 
ical allies  of  you,  its  hereditary  enemies,  and  will  therefore 
strive  to  destroy  forever  your  power  for  future  influence 
in  the  government ;  and  will  seek  to  give  the  political 
power  of  your  section  into  the  hands  of  the  former  slaves, 
and  such  native  renegades  and  Northern  adventurers  as 
shall  affiliate  with  them  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  the 
spoils  of  office.  The  first  step,  looking  to  the  accomplish- 
ment of  this  end,  is,  of  course,  to  destroy  the  bond  of 
sympathy  between  the  former  master  and  his  former 
slave,  and  to  create  in  its  stead  a  feeling  of  bitter  hatred. 
It  is  a  diabolical  plot,  and  is  a  fit  sample  of  the  spirit  by 
which  that  fanatical  faction  is  usually  actuated  ;  but  you 
have  only  to  wait,  and  the  good  sense  and  true  patriotism 
of  the  majority  at  the  Nojlh  will,  when  passion  shall 
have  grown  a  little  cooler,  make  all  things  as  they  should 
be. 

"  ^  Learn  to  labor  and  to  wait,'  and  beyond  a  dark  belt, 
the  extent  of  which  cannot  yet  be  defined,  is  peace  and 
prosperity  for  your  people ;  and  if  you  continue  true  to 
yourselves — stout  in  heart  and  steadfast  in  principles 
as  of  old — there  is  a  brilliant  future  in  store  for  your 
section."  *     ' 

*  These  letters  contain  extracts  from  genuine  letters,  some  of  which 
have  been  published. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 
AuTHOEizED  Outlawry  and  Lawless  Justice. 

"  Their  friendship  is  a  lurking  snare, 
Their  honor  but  an  idle  breath, 
Their  smile,  the  smile  that  traitors  wear, 
Their  love  is  hate,  their  life  is  death." 

— W.   G.   SIMMS. 

"  Just  men  only  are  free,  the  rest  are  slaves." 

— Chapman. 

SOME  days  after  the  oceurrence  at  Bethel  Church,  Mr. 
Conrad  and  Peter  Dillard  were  summoned  to  appear 
before  the  agent  of  the  Freedman's  Bureau,  at  Barrens- 
ville,  to  answer  the  charge  of  having  interfered  with  the 
exercises  of  the  Bethel  Mission-School,  created  a  distur- 
bance and  interrupted  public  worship.  It  was  intimated 
to  them,  by  the  officer  who  served  the  notice,  that  they 
would  be  allowed  to  introduce  their  '^accomplices"  as 
witnesses,  if  the  latter  chose  to  take  the  risk  of  crimi- 
nating themselves.  •    . 

"  Well,  Stewai-t,"  laughed  Mr.  Conrad,  as  the  two  sat 
on  the  front  porch,  after  having  directed  the  "  military 
sheriff  "  to  Peter  Dillard's  shop  ;  "  isn't  that  rich  ?  Ordered 
to  appear  before  a  little  popinjay  Bureau  official  for  having 
played  the  rowdy  and  rough  at  a  church  gathering  ! " 

"  Yes ;  a  rich  joke  on  you,"  replied  Mr.  Stewart,  with 

a  smile,  ^'  but  it  would  have  no  element  of  humor  in  or 

about  it,  if  you  had  chanced  to  be  an   '  infernal  rebel.' 

These  Bureau  officials  love  to  exercise  theu'  little  authority, 

470 


"christian  soldiers."  471 

and  are  more  despotic  in  their  small  way  than  the  autocrat 
of  all  the  Russias.  There  are  some  exceptions,  however  • 
one,  I  am  told  at  Hunts\'ille.  :\ran,  is  by  nature,  but  a 
high  order  of  animal,  witli  the  animal  instinct  of  tyranny, 
or  a  desire  for  mastery,  fully  developed  ;  and  onlv  true 
Christianity,  backed  by  a  high  order  of  civilization,  can 
eradicate  his  natural  propensity  in  that  direction.  The 
more  imperfectly  qualified  he  may  be  by  those  elevating 
influences  to  become  a  ruler,  the  better  qualified  he  is  to 
be  a  tyrant.'^ 

''  But,  my  friend,"  said  Mr.  Conrad,  seriously,  "  it  is 
claimed  that  these  men  are,  almost  exclusively,  active 
working  Christians,  and  have  been  selected  for  these  posi- 
tions, chiefly  on  account  of  their  conspicuous  prominence 
as  Christian  soldiers." 

"  True,  but  there  are  two  classes  of  ^  active  working 
Christians.'  One  does  not  advertise  itself  as  '  Christian 
soldiers/  but  teaches  by  precept  and  example  the  spirit  of 
true  religion  and  the  duty  of  love  and  charity  toward  all 
men.  The  other  teaches  the  doctrines  of  a  sect  or  party, 
which  may  or  may  not  have  made  unto  itself  a  golden 
image.  They  feel  the  mad  zeal  of  religionism  or  partisan- 
ship and  set  themselves  up  as  '  Christian  soldiers,'  feeling 
a  restless  desire  to  impose  upon  others,  that  which  gives 
to  their  own  souls  no  feeling  of  restfulness.  Love,  with 
them,  means  toleration  toward  those  who  do  not  attack  or 
ridicule  their  pet  theories,  and  charity  means  the  giving  of 
food  and  raiment  to  the  needy  who  have  not  offended 
them  in  that  particular.  This  class  made  a  saint  of  John 
Brown,  preached  his  villainy  as  the  acts  of  one  inspired, 
denied  the  Christianity  and  civilization  of  the  Southern 
white  people,  got  up  the  crusade  against  them  which  has 
spread  ruin  over  the  land,  and  are  now  laboring  to  pre- 


472     AUTHORIZED  OUTLAWRY  AND  LAWLESS  JUSTICE. 

pare  the  negroes  and  lead  them  in  a  new  crusade,  which 
shall  force  us  to  become,  in  self-defense,  what  they  would 
have  the  world  believe  us  to  be — outlaws  and  murderers  ! " 

"  My  dear  fellow,^'  said  Mr.  Conrad,  cheeringly  "  you 
must  not  give  way  to  gloomy  forebodings.  Matters  will 
soon  grow  better.  Passion  will  wear  itself  out,  and  want 
and  deprivation,  which  must  result  from  the  present  course 
of  the  negroes,  will  bring  back  the  plain,  common  sense 
with  which  I  think  they  are  endowed,  as  a  class,  more 
highly  than  some  communities  of  white  people  I  have 
known." 

"  Yes ;  you  are  correct  in  that.  The  negroes  have 
much  plain  practical  sense  when  not  biased  by  passion. 
But  they  are  an  emotional  people,  and  when  their  passions 
are  aroused,  reason  loses  its  controlling  influence.  There 
is  no  earthly  good  that  they  are  not  capable  of  sacrificing, 
under  the  goadings  of  a  spiteful  go-between,  to  a  thirst 
for  revenge.  In  this  they  do  not  diifer  greatly  from  their 
white  brethren  of  a  similar  degree  of  civilization ;  and 
such  white  brethren,  who  are  possessed  of  a  higher  degree 
of  intelligence  than  they,  are  teaching  them  that  the 
Southern  whites,  not  only  wronged  them  in  the  past 
beyond  the  powers  of  forgiveness,  but  now  despise  them 
for  their  amiability,  and  are  still  doing  them  the  greatest 
possible  wrong  in  denying  them  social  equality.  Nearly 
all  of  the  personal  collisions  between  the  tAvo  races  that 
have  occurred  in  the  country,  have  resulted,  directly  or 
indirectly,  from  the  negroes'  awkward,  and  generally 
spiteful,  eiforts  to  assert  and  enforce  their  social  equality. 
This,  they  are  taught,  is  a  very  necessary  thing  for  them 
to  do.  In  their  ignorant  zeal  in  this  direction  they  offer 
insults,  that  are  generally  passed  by  unnoticed,  for  which 
their  male  teachers,  if  they  should  offer  them,  would  be 


"a  typical  incident/'  473 

> 

caned  as  often  as  they  were  offered.  You  recollect  the 
case  which  occurred  in  the  Barrens,  a  couple  of  months 
ago.  A  negro  soldier  went  to  the  house  of  a  poor  widow 
to  buy  dried  fruit,  as  he  claimed.  A  chair  was  offered 
him  on  the  porch,  but  he  went  into  the  chamber  and  sat 
down  by  the  side  of  the  daughter,  who  was  sewing.  She, 
very  properly,  arose  and  went  into  the  porch  w^here  her 
mother  was.  This  was  resented  as  an  insult  and  personal 
abuse  was  the  consequence.  In  the  course  of  the  remarks 
which  ensued,  the  girl  asserted  that  she  intended  never  to 
associate  with  negroes.  This  very  natural  but  unneces- 
sary remark  so  incensed  the  negro  that  he  slapped  her 
face.  You  know  the  result.  The  brother,  a  youth  of 
fifteen,  who  was  chopping  wood  in  the  yard,  went  with 
his  axe  to  the  rescue  of  his  sister  and  was  killed.  The 
man  was  a  soldier  in  the  United  States  Army,  and  the  boy 
was  the  son  of  ^  a  rebel,'  and  an  opposer  of  the  sacred 
cause  of  '  human  rights,'  and  there  was  no  difficulty  in 
making  out  a  clear  case  of  self-defense  on  the  evidence  of 
the  mother  and  sister."  * 

"But  his  triumphant  acquittal  was   a  bad  thing  for 
him,  for  he  was  killed  within 'the  next  week." 

"  Yes  ;  assassinated  !  Shot  down  like  a  wild  beast  in 
the  woods  !  Some  honest  man  or  party  of  men  forced 
to  become  outlaws  in  order  to  mete  out  justice !  It  is  the 
worst  feature  in  all  our  surroundings,  that  quiet,  law- 
abiding  people  have  been,  and  will  be  forced  to  do  deeds 
that  are  revolting  to  them,  in  order  that  it  may  be  seen^ 
that  there  is  punishment  in  store  for  all  those  who  violate 
the  rights  of  person  or  property.  Even  you  and  I  suf- 
fered testimony  to  be  used  in  the  protection  of  our  prop- 
erty which  we  know  to  have  been  suborned." 

*  This  is  a  true  incident. 

29 


474     AUTHORIZED  OUTLAWRY  AXD  LAWLESS  JUSTICE. 

"  Yes ;  it  does  look  as  if,  for  the  present,  the  country 
is  given  over  to  the  spirit  of  evil,  but  all  tv411  come 
right  by  and  by.  Rest  is  the  normal  condition  of  all 
things,  of  passions  as  well  as  of  matter,  and  after  a  time 
the  negroes  will  be  as  good  friends  as  ever  to  the  white 
people. '^ 

"  Never,  as  a  people,  while  they  hearken  to  the  teach- 
ings of  such  creatures  as  now  surround  them.  Unless  the 
Christianity  and  civilization  which  we  gave  them,  shall 
exert,  a  powerful  influence  toward  neutralizing  such  teach- 
ings as  they  are  now  getting,  or  unless  we  can  discover 
some  means  to  combat  it,  a  war  of  races  is  inevitable, 
and  one  race  or  the  other  will  be  exterminated  or  driven 
out  of  the  cotton  belt.  If  it  should  ever  come  to  that, 
who,  but  a  silly  fanatic  of  the  Puritan  breed,  could  doubt 
what  would  be  the  result,  despite  all  the  troops  at  the 
command  of  the  United  States  Government  ?  " 

"  Oh,  it  could  never  become  so  bad  as  that,  I  hope. 
The  feeling  on  the  part  of  a  great  many  negroes  is  still  in 
sympathy  with  the  white  people ;  and  even  the  evil-dis- 
posed do  not  seem  so  rabid  as  they  were  a  short  time 

•       J)  • 

since. 

"This  only  seems  so  to  you  because  the  latter  class 
have  left  this  plantation,  and  you  no  longer  have  to  deal 
with  them.  The  sympathy  of  a  great  many  negroes  is 
with  us,  as  you  say ;  but,  as  regards  a  majority  of  these, 
they  are  actuated  only  by  personal  liking  for  the  fam- 
ilies and  relatives  of  their  former  owners,  or  for  other 
individuals,  as  is  the  case  with  Peter  Dillard,  who  have 
won  their  esteem.  When  the  tempter  and  slanderer  tries 
to  work  upon  these,  they  think  of  some  favorite  as  the 
type  of  those  against  whom  it  is  sought  to  prejudice  them, 
and  stand  steadfast ;  but  how  would  it  be  if  they  were 


"typical  'social  equality/"  475 

removed  from  these  personal  influences  ?  As  regards  the 
other  class,  I  should  think,  from  Dick's  report,  that  you 
had  a  fair  sample  of  their  aggressive  insolence  yesterday 
in  Barrensville." 
.  "  Ha !  ha !  "  laughed  Mr.  Conrad,  coloring  slightly, 
"  I  thought  Dick  was  so  cut  up  about  that  matter  that  he 
would  never  mention  it  to  any  one." 

"  How  was  it  ?  Dick  only  mentioned  the  matter  to  ask 
permission  to  ride  one  of  the  horses  to  Barrensville  in 
search  of  the  offending  party,  which,  of  course,  I  refused." 

"  Well,  as  we  entered,  the  town,  Dick  w  as  driving,  and 
I  was  sitting  on  the  rear  seat.     There  were  a  good  many 
negroes  loafing  about,  and  I  noticed  that  several  made 
remarks  intended  for  my  ears,  intimating  that  I  was  put- 
ting on  rather  too  much  style  for  a  '  d — d  rebel.'     As  we 
passed  through  the  suburbs  on  the  other  side,  I  noticed, 
some  distance  ahead,  a  squad  of  a  half  dozen  or  more  young 
negro  men  talking  to  a  long-haired  white  man  in  citizen's 
clothes.     Some  remark  was  made  concerning  us,  for  all 
turned   to   look   at   us  as   we  approached,  and    several 
laughed,  as  if  at  a  witticism.     One  stalwart  young  fellow 
stepped  out  and  placed  himself  in  the  centre  of  the  beaten 
track  of  the  road,  assuming  an  attitude,  facing  us,  which 
seemed  to  say  that  he  intended  to  dispute  our  right  of  way. 
'  Mars'  Conrad,'  said  Dick,  '  I's  gwine  to  jam  dis  buggy 
pole  right  plump  into  dat  nigger's  buttermilk  jug,  ef  he 
don't  git  out'n  de  way ! '  But  I  gave  him  peremptory  orders 
what  he  was  to  do,  and  he  is  too  good  a  fellow  to  disobey. 
When  he  turned  out  of  the  smooth  track  to  avoid  striking 
the  man,  the  latter  looked  into  his  face  and  said :  '  I  kin 
wallop  de  hind  sights  off 'n  any  black  snake  of  a  white 
man's  nigger  dat  was  ever  pupped  ;  an'  I  dares  any  rebel 
in  dese  diggins  to   let  me  hear  him  say  he's  too  good  to 


476     AUTHORIZED  OUTLAWRY  AND  LAWLESS  JUSTICE. 

drive  de  buggy  of  a  colored  gent'man  ! '  The  incident,  of 
course,  only  amused  me — I  don't  know  how  I  should  have 
felt  if  I  had  chanced  to  be  a  ^rebeP  of  the  sort  named,  but  I 
felt  great  sympathy  for  Dick,  poor  fellow,  who  turned  a 
shade  or  two  blacker  from  suppressed  anger.  When  we 
turned  the  corner  a  few  squares  or  so  away,  Dick  suddenly 
commenced  feeling  about  his  person,  and  declared  that 
he  had  dropped  his  handkerchief,  and  must  go  back  a 
short  distance  to  seek  it ;  but,  unfortunately  for  the  poor 
fellow's  ambition  to  get  himself  beaten  into  a  jelly,  I  asked 
him  what  it  was  that  bulged  his  side  pocket  so  greatly, 
and  he  looked  as  if  he  could  weep  when  he  admitted  that 
it  was  his  cotton  bandanna.*  But  here  comes  our  friend, 
Peter  Dillard,  breaking  his  way  through  the  weeds  that 
represent  ten  or  fifteen  thousand  dollars  lost  to  us  and 
our  heirs  forever,  as  if  fleeing  from  the  ^  Impending 
Crisis.' " 

"  Hello,  Peter ! "  called  Mr.  Stewart,  as  the  negro 
approached  within  speaking  distance,  "  do  you  fancy  that 
the  ^  patterrollers '  of  the  olden  time  are  after  you  ?  " 

"  No,  sar.  Mars'  Chyarles — good  evenin',  sar  ;  sarv^ant. 
Mars'  Conrad — no,  sar,  it's  wuss  dan  any  patterrollers," 
replied  the  negro,  wiping  the  perspiration  from  his  brow. 
^'  It's  de  Buro'  sheriff !  When  we  use  to  be  gallivantin' 
aroun'  in  de  ole  times,  ef  we  met  up  wid  de  patterrollers, 
all  we  had  to  do  was  to  tell  a  straight  tale,  or  to  git  home 
by  de  nighest  cut.  But  dar  ain't  no  gittin'  away  from  dese 
Buro'  patterrollers.  I  ain't  'feard  of  'em  for  myself,  for 
dey's  desput  sweet  on  de  niggers,  es  you  knows,  but  de 
sheriff  tole  me  you  all  was  'rested  too ;  an'  I  didn't  know 
ef  you'd  stan'  it." 

"  Oh,  yes,"  laughed  Mr.  Conrad,  "we'll  stand  it — ^you 

*  This  incident  is  true  in  every  particular. 


"a  new  start  for  glory."  477 

and  I.     Stewart  here,  isn't  into  it  yet  awMle ;    but  he 
doesn't  seem  to  feel  slighted  at  all/' 

^^  Well,  I's  glad  o'  dat !  Dey  can't  hurt  us,  'cause  we 
kin  prove  dat  we  never  was  rebels — leastways  not  much. 
But  I  feels  skeered  sometimes  'bout  de  gent'man  fokes 
in  dis  country  dat  use  to  own  niggers,  an'  den  fit  in  de 
army  agin  de  Union  !  " 

"  Why  so  ?  " 

"  Well,  sar ;  I  has  seed  an'  hyeard  a  heap  o'  strange 
things  in  my  time,  but  de  most  o'  de  strangeness  begun  in 
de  prison  in  Ohio,  whar  dey  made  me  crap  oif  Mars' 
Gineral  Morgan's  har,  an'  promised  me  ef  I'd  be  a  soger 
to  give  me  a  whole  county  o'  land  in  de  Souf.  But  dey 
capped  off  de  strangeness  last  night  at  de  class  meetin'  an' 
love  feast." 

"  What  happened  there  ?  " 

"  Well,  sar ;  I's  under  ^  a  obligation,'  dey  calls  it, 
not  to  tell  tales  out'n  skool ;  but  I  kin  say  dis  much : 
'Spectability  ain't  'spectability  no  longer,  an'  'ligion 
ain't  'ligion  no  mo',  an'  niggers  never  was  niggers  no 
how  ! " 

"  What  does  all  that  mean  ?  " 
,  "  Mean  ?  Well,  I  don't  zackly  know  myself !  But 
dey  says  all  de  ole  things  is  done  rubbed  out  an'  every- 
thing is  done  got  bran,  spankin'  new.  In  'ligious  matters 
we  all  has  got  to  take  a  new  start  for  glory  from  de  word 
^  go ' ;  every  man  for  hisself,  an'  de  devil  take  de  hind- 
most one  !  But  I  'spect  he'll  be  mighty  apt  to  git 
de  foremost  one  fust,  like  partridges  runnin'  into  a 
net." 

"Tell  us  what  happened  at  the  meeting,"  said  Mr. 
Conrad,  with  much  interest. 

"  Well,  sar,  I  can't  zackly  tell  what  happened,  but  I's 


478     AUTHORIZED  OUTLAWRY  AND  LAWLESS  JUSTICE. 

free  to  tell  what  didn't  happen.  We  didn't  talk  'bout 
'bein  mis'able  sinners,  an'  wantin'  to  love  our  nabers,  an' 
prayin'  for  dem  dat  spitefully  uses  us,  an'  'turnin'  good 
for  evil,  an'  lovin'  nobody,  an'  prayin'  for  nuthin'.  An' 
I  kin  tell  what  is  gwine  to  happen.  Peter  Dillard  is 
gwine  to  pull  out  from  dat  new-fangled  church ;  an'  ef 
dey  don't  start  up  our  ole  church  agin,  an  ef  I  can't  find 
no  road  to  de  worl'  to  come  but  de  one  dese  fokes  wants 
us  to  travel,  I's  gwine  to  blaze  out  a  path  throo  de  woods 
for  Peter  an'  his  fokes." 

"  Going  to  start  a  church  of  your  own  ?  ^' 
"  No,  sar ;  I  ain't  good  'nuff  to  start  a  good  one,  an'  I's 
too  good  to  start  a  bad  one.     But  I  means  to  play  a  lone 
hand  in  'ligious  matters,  an'  foller  de  compass  de  Blessed 
One  gin  us,  even  ef  it  does  lead  me  'long  a  lonesome  path." 
"  What  has  become  of  your  old  preachers  ?  " 
"  Pass'n  Ellit's  dead,  sar  ;  an'  dem  dat  ain't  dead  can't 
git   no    nigger  congregations  now.       Dese  new-fangled 
Christons  says  de  ole  preachers  dat  use  to  preach   up 
^  sarvants  'bey  your  marsters,'  Avas  agents  o'  de  evil  spirrit, 
an'  was  survin'  o'  him,  an'  a  doin'  o'  his  work,  an'  dat  its 
too  late  now  for  'em  to  try  to  play  sho'  'nuff  Christons,  es 
dey  didn't  have  de  pluck  to  do  it  befo'." 
.    "  Perhaps  they  think  the  old  preachers  here  will  not 
keep  step  to  the  march  of  progress." 

"  No  more'n  dey  won't !  Dey  won't  keep  step  to  de 
march  o'  nuthin'  but  de  blessed  gospel,  des  as  de  Saviour 
hisself  teached  it.  What  He  says  dey  says,  an'  what  He 
didn't  say  dey  don't  say.  Dey  don't  think,  like  dese  new- 
fangled fokes,  dat  ef  de  Saviour  had  put  off  comin'  till 
now,  he'd  o'  bin  a  heap  smarter'n  he  was,  an'  made  two 
or  three  new  commandments  'bout  our  white  fokes  an'  de 
niggers." 


"  When  the  tempter  and  slanderer  tries  to  work  upon  these,"  etc. 


''JOHN    BROWN   AND   THE   SAVIOUR."  479 

"  Don't  you  know,  Peter/'  said  Mr.  Conrad,  with  a 
laugh,  ''  it  is  claimed  by  these  '  new-fangled  fokes '  that 
'  in  science  and  religion,  humanity  is  making  stupendous 
strides?' ''* 

"  Well,  sar ;  I  don't  know  nothin'  'bout  de  science 
business,  but  I  know  dis  'bout  'ligion  :  All  de  new 
strides  is  strides  away  from  Him  dat  died  for  sinners;  an' 
dem  dat  makes  de  ^spendom  strides  is  mighty  apt  to  stride 
plump  into  de  middle  o'  de  bottomless  pit.  I  ain't  in  de 
stridin'  bisness,  an'  dat's  de  reason  I's  gwine  to  pull 
out  an'  run  a  little  game  o'  my  own  in  'ligious  mat- 
ters." 

"  So  you  think  these  '  new-fangled  fokes '  are  taking 
those  stupendous  strides,  eh  ?  " 

"  Well,  it  'pears  to  me  dat  dar  'ligion  ain't  nothin'  but 
strides  o'  one  sort  an'  another ;  but  I  'spect  de  'spendous 
stride  was  de  one  dey  made  from  de  blessed  Saviour  to 
John  Brown.  Dey  don't  leave  de  Saviour  clean  out  in  de 
cold,  but  dey  preaches  a  heap  more  'bout  John  Brown. 
When  it  comes  to  Jesus  of  Nazareth  an'  John  Brown 
of  Bostin',  or  somewhar  or  'nother,  dey  don't  know  which 
is  which." 

"Ah!  Peter;  remember,  'thou  shalt  not  bear  false 
witness ! ' " 

"  'Taint  no  false  witness,  boss ;  I  wish  'twas  !  But  I 
come  on  bisness.  Does  you  know  how  many  witnesses 
dar  is  agin'  us  ?  '^ 

"  All  those  at  the  church,  I  presume,  except  your  party. 
Say  six  hundred.'^ 

"  Den  we's  gone  up  for  all  de  money  dey  wants  out'n 
us.     Ef  you  kin  find  a  way  out'n  dis   rumpus  widout 
sufferin'  in  de  munny  puss  monstous  bad,  den  I'll  say, 
*  A  sentiment  from  "  Bricks  Without  Straw."     Page  222. 


480    AUTHORIZED  OUTLAWRY  AND  LAWLESS  JUSTICE. 

stronger  dan  ever,  dat  white  fokses  minds  beats  niggers. 
We  can't  git  more'n  'bout  twenty  witnesses,  'sides  dem 
dat  was  at  de  church  wid  us,  an'  dat  wont  be  a  drap  in 
de  bucket  agin  six  hundred,  an'  maby  more." 

"  We  will  not  take  a  single  witness,  Peter,"  laughed 
Mr.  Conrad.  "  We  will  rely  upon  the  justice  of  the 
court." 

"  Well,  sar,  you  lays  it  on  to  me  for  smartness,  but 
you's  gwine  to  git  tripped  up  dis  time,  ef  you  hears  my 
racket !  Didn't  Mars'  Judge  Garnet  'ly  on  de  justis  o' 
de  cote  an'  git  left  ?  Bill  Smiff  rid  his  buggy  boss  to  de 
League  meetin',  an'  when  de  ole  man  quarrelled  'bout  it 
he  called  him  a  '  white  head  ole  rebel  son  of  a  gun,'  an' 
he  hit  him  wid  his  crutch,  an'  Bill  snatched  de  crutch  an' 
beat  de  ole  man  shameful,  an'  den  'ported  him  to  de 
Buro.  He  'lied  on  de  justis  o'  de  cote  widout  no  witneses 
but  hisself  an'  it  cost  him  fifty  dollars  an'  a  mont'  in 
jail." 

"But  Bill  Smith  didn't  make  much  by  the  opera- 
tion," laughed  Mr.  Conrad,  "if  I  have  been  correctly 
informed." 

"  So  he  didn't !  Some  fokes  went  dar  wid  skeer-faces 
on  an'  lynched  him  till  his  back  looked  like  a  black 
barber's  pole.  But  dat  didn't  cure  de  ole  man  dat  was 
sick  in  de  jail  nor  bring  back  his  munny.  But  it  cured 
Bill  Smiff  an'  dem  o'  suckin'  aigs  es  sho'  es  you's 
born." 

"  How  do  you  know  how  his  back  looked  ?  " 

"  Well,  sar,"  replied  Peter,  with  a  sly  wink  ;  "  Dick 
an'  me  keeps  all  our  secrets  in  partnership,  an'  I  was 
dar." 

"  How  could  you  disregard  all  the  teaching  you  have 
heard  about  standing  up  for  your  color  ?  " 


"children  out  of  school."  481 

"  Well,  boss,  I  don^t  count  by  color  !  It's  jestice  an* 
honest  principles.  De  fokes  dat  is  agin  dem  is  agin  me, 
an'  agin  what  makes  de  difference  'twixt  me  an'  a  wile 
Injun.  Ef  anybody  'tacks  dem  dey  'tacks  me,  an'  I's 
gwine  to  hit  back  if  I  kin." 

" '  But  I  say  unto  you,  resent  ye  not  evil,' "  quoted  Mr. 
Conrad. 

"  An  dat's  what  I  says  too,  sar,  onless  you  can't  help  it. 
But  Solomon  says  somethin'  'bout  sparin'  de  rod  an' 
spilin'  de  chile ;  an'  dese  niggers  ain't  nothin'  but  chil'n 
dat  has  been  turned  out  o'  skool  an'  has  tuk  up  wid  de 
bad  boys  to  rob  de  watermillion  patches  an'  fling  rocks  at 
fokses  winders.  But  I  w^ant's  to  ax  you  to  len'  me  a  hoss 
to  ride  Saddy  to  de  cote.  I's  gwine  to  put  on  my  uniform, 
dat's  mos'  es  good  es  new,  an'  I  want's  to  go  in  style.  Ef 
I's  got  to  play  a  dummy  hand  I  want's  all  de  trumps  I 
kin  git." 

All  matters  having  been  arranged  to  Peter's  satisfaction, 
he  went  out  into  the  field  to  have  a  talk  with  Dick, 
having  first  appointed  to  meet  ^Ir.  Conrad  to  receive 
"  orders  "  the  evening  before  the  portentous  day. 


CHAPTEE   XXX. 
Lex  Xox  Sceipta. 

"  Who  stabs  my  name  ivoiild  stab  my  person  too, 
Did  not  the  hangman! s  axe  lie  in  the  way." 

— Crown's  Henry  VII. 

^^  Judge  not  thy  fellow-man  till  thou  art  similarly  situated." 

— Jewish  Talmud. 

WHEN  Mr.  Conrad  and  Peter  Dillard  arrived  at  the 
office  of  the  Bureau  Agency,  they  found  the  officer 
in  charge  alone,  and,  to  all  appearances,  not  in  a  very 
amiable  mood.  The  former  introduced  himself,  and  then 
introduced  Peter  as  his  friend  and  ally.  The  officer's 
mind  seemed  to  be  preoccupied,  but  he  nodded  to  them 
civilly,  and  motioned  them  to  be  seated  on  a  bench  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  room.  After  eyeing  them  coolly 
for  a  few  moments,  he  said,  abruptly,  to  Mr.  Conrad : 

"I  understand  that  you  claim  to  have  been  a  Union 
soldier,  sir,  and  an  officer  of  high  rank." 

"  It  is  a  mistake,  sir, "  said  Mr.  Conrad,  bowing 
politely. 

"  Ah  !  I  thought  so,  but  the  ladies  at  the  Bethel  Mis- 
sion-School understood  you  to  say  so. 

"  They  erred,  sir ;  I  said  I  had  fought  in  the  Union 
army,  but  I  made  no  reference  to  rank,  and  claimed 
nothing.'*' 

"  Did  you  fight  in  the  Union  army  ?  " 

"  I  did,  sir." 
482 


''no  chance  to  get  hoxoeable  scars."     483 

"  Where  ?  " 

"  In  Virginia." 

"  What  was  your  rank  ?  " 

"  I  have  not  claimed  to  have  had  any  rank." 

"Ah  !  But  you  clahn  to  have  been  in  the  Union 
army  ?  " 

"  I  stated  on  that  one  occasion  that  I  had  fought  in  the 
Union  army." 

"  I  see  !     Have  you  any  proof  of  the  fact  ?  " 

"  Proof !  I  presume  my  honorable  scars  would  be  no 
proof,  as  they  might,  for  aught  you  could  know  to  the 
contrary,  have  been  received  on  the  other  side." 

"  You,  also,  claim  to  have  fought  in  the  Union  army," 
said  the  officer,  turning  with  evident  annoyance  from  Mr. 
Conrad  and  speaking  to  Peter. 

"  Yes,  boss ;  I  fit  for  de  Union ;  leastways  I  was  in  de 
army,  an'  done  what  tothers  done,"  replied  Peter,  promptly. 

"I  see  that  you  wear  your  uniform,  and  don't  rely 
upon  your  scars  to  prove  your  loyalty."  , 

"  Lawd,  no,  boss  !  I  ain't  got  no  scyars.  I  fit  wid 
Gineral  Sherman  in  Gyawagy  an'  dem  parts,  an'  ain't  seed 
no  chance  to  git  no  scyars,  onless  a  feller  fell  over  de 
fence,  or  some  ole  'oman  hit  him  on  de  head  wid  de  fryin'- 
pan  while  he  was  robin'  de  sto'  room." 

"  You  are  pleased  to  be  facetious,  sir,"  said  the  officer, 
sternly. 

"  Yes,  boss ;  I  b'lieves  in  tellin'  de  troof  an'  shamin'  de 
devil,  es  de  sayin'  goes." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  you  are  a  truthful  fellow," 
said  the  officer,  eyeing  him  sharply.  "  What  excuse  have 
you  for  interfering  with  Bethel  Mission-School,  disturb- 
ing public  worship,  and  making  a  rowdy  speech  ?  " 

"  None,  boss ;  'cause  I  didn't  do  it." 


484  LEX  NON  SCRIPTA. 

"  Didn't  you  climb  in  at  the  window,  at  the  head  of  a 
party  armed  with  hickory  sticks  ?  '^ 

"  Yes,  sar/' 

"  What  for  ?  '' 

"  To  bust  dem  niggers'  heads  ef  dey  tried  to  put  any- 
body out  o'  dat  church." 

"  Why  should  they  desire  to  put  out  any  person  unless 
he  was  disturbing  the  exercises  ?  " 

"  Cause  dey's  got  no  sense  an'  no  'ligion." 

"  You  and  your  party  had  a  monopoly  of  those  quali- 
ties, I  suppose?" 

"  Yes,  boss  ;  we  had  de  biggest  sheer  of  all  dat  was  in 
dat  house  dat  day." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  you  were  so  pious  a  party. 
Why  did  one  of  the  white  men — the  one  present — offend 
the  congregation  by  making  an  incendiary  speech  ?  " 

"  He  didn't  make  no  'cendiary  speech  tell  all  de  fuss 
was  over,  an'  dat  speech  done  'em  more  good  dan  all  de 
sarijiunts  dey  has  hyeard  for  a  year  an'  mo'." 

"  What  did  he  say  in  his  speech  ?  " 

"  We  would  prefer  to  hear  that  from  the  other  side," 
interrupted  Mr.  Conrad. 

"  I  have  the  report  of  the  ladies  of  the  mission,  which 
you  can  read,  sir,  if  you  choose. 

"  I  prefer  to  hear  their  statement  made  under  oath, 
sir." 

"  I  have  agreed  not  to  require  them  to  appear  as  wit- 
nesses, sir.  Their  charge  is  simply  that  you  interfered 
with  the  exercises  of  the  school,  disturbed  public  wor- 
ship, and  made  an  incendiary  speech  despite  their  earnest 
protests ;  and  that  Peter  Dillard  backed  you  up  with  a 
show  of  force." 

0 

"  The  charge  is  false,  sir." 


"  IN  THE   TOILS   OF   THE   ^  COURT/  "  485 

"  All  'cept  my  part  of  it,  Mars'  Conrad,"  interrupted 
Peter. 

"  Yes ;  except  that  Peter  Dillard  made  a  display  of 
force  which  prevented  bloodshed/' 

"  What  caused  the  danger  of  bloodshed  ?  and  why  the 
necessity  of  a  display  of  force  to  prevent  it  ?  I  presume 
you  are  prepared  to  prove  w^hat  you  assert.  The  charge 
is  made  by  refined  Christian  ladies,  who  left  the  ease  and 
comfort  of  their  far-distant  New  England  homes,  to  do  a 
heaven-inspired  labor  of  love  for  the  poor  ignorant  blacks 
in  this  benighted  land,  and  their  words  are  as  good  as 
their  oaths." 

"  The  charge  is  untrue,  notwithstanding,"  said  Mr. 
Conrad,  coldly. 

'^  I  presume  you  can  prove  it  so,  sir  ?  "  said  the  officer, 
somewhat  impatiently. 

"  Prove  it  ?  Prove  that  I  am  not  guilty  ?  Prove  a 
negative  ?  I  shall  undertake  to  do  nothing  so  ridiculous, 
sir ! " 

"  And  you  propose  to  answer  with  a  simple  denial,  I 
suppose  ?  " 

"  With  a  simple  denial,  sir." 

"  I  have  agreed,  as  I  told  you,  that  the  ladies  shall  no* 
be  required  to  appear,  and  I  do  not  deem  it  necessary  that 
they  shall  do  so." 

"Then  you  must  deem  it  necessary  to  dismiss  this 
case  without  more  ado,  sir." 

"  Not  at  all,  sir ;  I  am  not  required  or  expected  to  con- 
form to  the  usages  of  civil  courts,  and  my  latitude  is  very 
great.  I  could  decide  this  case  as  it  now  stands,  for  you 
have  admitted  that  your  going  to  the  church  came  near 
being  the  cause  of  riot  and  bloodshed ;  but  I  shall  con- 
tinue it  till  Monday  ;  and  as  it  seems  you  desire  that  there 


486  LEX   NON  SCEIPTA. 

shall  be  testimony  to  prove  what  you  admit,  I  shall  order 
a  number  of  the  colored  people  to  appear  as  witnesses  on 
that  day." 

''  It  is  not  necessary  to  do  so,  sir ; '  I  have  no  curiosity 
to  know  what  the  colored  people  will  swear  to,  and  if  you 
will  not  fin  mm  on  the  teachers  to  appear,  and  make  a  sworn 
statement,  I  must  ask  that  the  case  be  dismissed." 

"  On  what  grounds  ?  " 

"  On  the  ground  that  as  there  is  no  charge  in  proper 
form,  there  is  really  no  case." 

"  But  the  charge  has  been  made,  and  it  is  for  me  to 
decide  as  to  its  being  in  proper  form." 

"  Does  your  ^  latitude '  allow  you  to  accept  a  gossiping 
statement  as  a  formal  charge  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  if  I  choose  to  do  so  ;  but " 

"  Then  it  is,  indeed,  very  great,  and  accounts,  no 
doubt,  for  the  great  travestying  of  justice,  which  is  bring- 
ing trouble  upon  the  country ;  and  also  accounts,  doubt- 
less, for  the  outrage  in  the  name  of  justice,  that  was 
inflicted  upon  Judge  Garnett." 

"  Outrages,  sir ! "  exclaimed  the  officer,  growing  very 

red  in  the  face.      "  What  do  you  mean,  sir  ?     Garnett 

*  struck  a  freedman  who  had  formerly  been  in  the  service 

of  the  United  States  government,  sir  ;  and  beside  he  was 

a  blatant  old  rebel  who " 

"  He  was  a  weak  and  almost  helpless  old  man,  sir ;  and 
was  maltreated  by  a  villainous  negro  who " 

"  Were  you  a  Union  soldier,  sir ;  or  are  you  a  Rebel 
sympathiser  and  champion  ?  "  asked  the  officer,  hotly. 

"  I  am  a  sympathiser  and  champion  of  any  one,  sir, 
who  may  be  helpless  under  tyranny  and  outrage." 

"Indeed!"  said  the  officer,  contemptuously.  "Per- 
haps you  could  earn  the  reward  offered  for  information 


"the  tables  turned.'^  4^7 

as  to  the  perpetrators  of  the  outrage  upon  William 
Smith  ! '' 

"  I  could  give  you  my  own  name  as  one  of  the 
witnesses  of  that  ^'outrage/  ^^ 

"  Do  you  tell  me  to  my  face,  sir ! — You  are  under  arrest, 
sir  !  ^^  exclaimed  the  officer,  laying  his  hand  upon  a  pistol 
lying  on  the  table.  "  Do  you  submit,  or  shall  I  call  the 
guard  ? '' 

"  It  is  not  necessary  to  call  the  guard,  sir,"  said  the 
young  man,  taking  from  his  pocket  a  large  envelope  and 
handing  it  to  the  officer.  '^  Will  you  be  so  good  as  to 
read  that  ?  ^' 

The  officer  drew  a  paper  from  the  envelope  and  glanced 
at  it  indifferently,  but  was  soon  riveted  to  its  contents,  and  as 
he  read  he  lost  the  color  which  anger  had  given  to  his  face, 
until  he  became  quite  pale.  He  continued  to  look  at  the 
paper  several  moments  after  his  eyes  had  ceased  to  follow 
the  lines,  and  finally  looking  up,  he  said,  with  some 
embarrassment : 

"  And  you  icere  an  officer  in  the  Union  army  !  I  beg 
your  pardon,  sir,  but  had  you  made  known  that  fact,  and 
the  nature  of  your  business,  we  should  both  have  been 
saved  unnecessary  annoyance.  I  do  not  fully  understand 
the  reference  here  made  to  General  Howard — perhaps  you 
will  be  so  good  as  to  explain  that — but,  of  course,  the 
President's  authority  is  supreme,  and  if  you  construe  this 
to  be  an  order,  I  am  ready  to  comply  with  it.  The  office 
is  a  very  trying  and  thankless  one,  in  which  it  is  utterly 
impossible  to  give  satisfaction  to  either  class  of  the  people, 
or  even  to  one's  self  I  have  other  business  offered 
me  in  Massachusetts,  which  will  pay  equally  as  well,  and 
which,  if  a  little  more  confining,  will  be  more  satisfactory 
in  other  respects.'' 


488  LEX   NON   SCRIPTA. 

"  But  you  would  prefer  to  remain  here  ?  '' 

"  My  lungs  are  a  little  weak,  and  our  surgeon  was  of 
the  opinion  that  the  climate  here  might  prove  beneficial." 

"  To  what  command  did  you  belong  ?  " 

"  The Massachusetts." 

"  What  division  and  corps  ?  " 

"  We  were  mostly  on  post  and  prison  duty." 

"  Do  you  not  think  your  prejudices  against  the  South- 
em  white  people  cause  the  scales  of  justice  to  make 
false  balances  sometimes  ?  " 

"  I  have  no  prejudices,  general.  I  have  only  conceived 
it  to  be  my  duty  to  throw  the  shield  and  influence  of  my 
power  over  the  wards  of  the  nation,  and  the  institutions 
which  have  been  planted  here  by  the  civilization  and 
Christian  charity  of  my  section,  which,  ^  in  the  very  hour 
of  victory  threw  aside  the  cartridge-box  and  appealed  to 
the  contribution  box  to  heal  the  ravages  of  war.' "  * 

"  ^  To  heal  the  ravages  of  war  ! '  That  will  sound  well 
in  the  ears  of  the  world,  but  to  '  continue  the  ravages  of 
war,'  would  be  a  more  truthful  statement.  The  govern- 
ment has  declared  peace,  but  it  seems  that  New  England 
has  not ;  and  I  see  that  the  contribution  box  is  likely  to 
do  a  more  fearful  work  here  than  w^as  ever  done  by  the 
cartridge  box.  Do  you  really  think  it  was  a  good  thing 
to  do  for  the  former  slaves  to  take  advantage  of  their  dazed 
condition  while  gazing  in  awe  upon  the  apparent  miracles 
of  accomplished  freedom,  to  seduce  their  hearts  from  the- 
sentiments  and  affections  which  have  heretofore  filled  the 
requirements  of  their  natures,  and  give  them  instead 
only  the  gospel  of  revenge,  and  a  restless  yearning  after 
things  that  are  unattainable,  and  that  would  be  worse  than 
useless  to  them  if  possible  to  be  attained  ?     Was  it  a 

*  A  statement  from  "  Bricks  without  Straw." 


"a  DANIEL  COME  TO  JUDGMENT."  489 

good  or  wise  thing  to  fire  their  hearts  against  those  for 
whom  thej  must  labor  or  starve,  and  to  forbid  their  sing- 
ing the  pious  hymns  and  using  the  orthodox  forms  of 
religion  that  were  taught  them  by  former  ministers 
of  the  Gospel,  because  those  former  ministers  did  not 
conceive  it  to  be  their  duty,  or  right,  to  violate  the  laws 
of  their  states  and  teach  more  than  was  taught  by  the 
Saviour  of  mankind  ? "  •  . 

"  Dat's  so  !  dat^s  so  !  "  exclaimed  Peter,  approvingly, 
having  just  aroused  himself  from  the  dazed  condition  into 
which  the  unexpected  turn  of  matters  between  the  two 
white  men  had  thrown  him. 

"  But,"  said  the  officer,  not  noticing  Peter's  interrup- 
tion, "  it  is  worthy  of  remark  that  these  ministers  are  not 
more  willing  than  the  other  rebels  to  accord  to  the  colored 
people  their  rights." 

"  What  rights  ?  Have  they  rights  which  would  not  be 
accorded  to  them  if  they  were  Irish  or  Germans  ?  I  have 
been  in  the  country  some  time,  and  I  have  yet  to  see  or 
hear  of  a  negro  who  has  been  deprived  of  any  right, 
unless  it  be  claimed  that  he  has  a  right  to  use  or  appro- 
priate the  property  of  other  people  without  their  consent ; 
to  insult  and  abuse  them  without  punishment ;  to  intrude 
upon  those  who  have  heretofore  been  supposed  to  have  a 
a  right  to  be  exclusive  if  they  so  desired,  with  impunity  ; 
and  to  violate  the  plainest  dictates  of  law  and  decency, 
without  being  whipped  of  justice  !  The  prejudiced  teach- 
ing of  these  mission-school  teachers  leads  the  negroes  to 
believe  that  they  have  rights  which  common  sense  ought 
to  teach  them  would  not  be  accorded  to  them  if  they  were 
white  people." 

"  Dat's  so  !  dat's  so  !  "  interjected  Peter. 

"  Perhaps,"  replied  the  officer,  ^^  the  teachers  here  are  a 

80 


490  '  LEX   NON   SCEIPTA. 

little  prejudiced ;  but  in  judging  them  we  should  make 
some  allowance  for  the  many  and  great  provocations  which 
they  have  had  to  anger  and  resentment.  ^  How  did  the 
white  brothers  and  sisters  of  those  messengers  of  a  match- 
less benevolence  receive  them  ?  Ah  !  God  !  how  sad  that 
history  should  be  compelled  to  make  up  so  dark  a  record — 
abuse,  contumely,  violence  !  Christian  tongues  befouled 
with  calumny  !  Christian  lips  blistered  with  falsehood  ! 
Christian  hearts  overflowing  with  hate !  Christian  pens 
reeking  with  ridicule  because  other  Christians  sought  to 
to  do  their  needy  fellows  good  !  No  wonder  that  faith 
grows  weak,  and  unbelief  runs  riot  through  all  the  land, 
when  men  look  upon  the  spectacle.  The  present  may 
excuse,  for  charity  is  kind ;  but  the  future  is  inexorable 
and  writes  with  a  pen  hard  nibbed.^ "  * 

"  What  Christian  lips  are  befouled  with  calumny  and 
blistered  with  falsehood  ?  The  first  greeting  of  these  so- 
called  teachers,  to  the  white  people  here,  was  an  insult,  and 
every  utterance  they  have  made  about  them  as  a  people  is 
a  falsehood  and  a  calumny  !  AVhat  Christian  hearts  are 
overflowing  with  hate,  and  what  pens  are  reeking  with 
ridicule  ?  Go  and  talk  to  these  ^  messengers  of  a  match- 
less benevolence  ^ — read  their  letters,  which  are  being  pub- 
lished ^  to  manufacture  sentiment '  in  every  city,  village 
and  hamlet  of  the  North — and  you  have  your  answer ! 
Hate  !  They  are  the  messengers  of  the  evangel  of  Hate  ! 
It  is  their  gospel !  They  preach  it ;  they  teach  it ;  they 
live  it !  It  is  personified  in  themselves  !  Charity  is 
kind,  but  the  present  will  not  excuse,  and  the  hard-nibbed 
pen  of  the  inexorable  future  Avill  make  New  England  civ- 
ilization ashamed  to  own  them  as  its  own." 

"  Dat's  so  !  dat's  so ! "  exclaimed  Peter,  admiringly. 

*  This  is  an  extract  from  "  Bricks  without  Straw."     Page  134, 


"what  no  new  ENGLAND  MAN  WOULD  DO."   491 

"  Do  you  know,  general,"  asked  the  officer,  with  a 
smile,  ^^  that  the  teachers  at  Bethel  have  always  believed 
you  to  be  a  rebel  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  I  have  been  told  that  they  have  used  some 
forcible  adjectives  in  the  expression  of  their  disbelief  in  my 
loyalty.  And  I  must  say,  candidly,  if  the  mission-schools, 
backed  as  they  are  by  the  Freedman's  Bureau,  represented 
fairly  the  spirit  and  designs  of  the  government,  I  should 
not  desire  to  be  considered  loyal.  I  shall  ever  be  loyal  to 
the  principles  for  which  I  fought,  but  I  fully  believe 
there  is  not  one  soldier  in  a  hundred,  of  the  brave  men 
who  met  these  brave  people  face  to  face  on  the  field  of 
battle,  who,  if  he  could  know,  as  I  do,  the  exact  postion 
of  affairs  here,  would  not,  in  his  secret  heart,  regret  the 
part  which  he  took  in  giving  to  bigotry  and  fanaticism 
the  ability  to  wreak  its  vengeance  upon  these  crushed  and 
wretched  people  ! " 

"  You  are  very  severe,  general,"  said  the  officer,  with 
a  deep  flush. 

"  I  expressed  similar  sentiments  to  the  President,  and 
the  letter  you  have  just  read  serves  to  indicate  whether 
or  no  he  considered  them  unmeritedly  severe." 

"  But  he  is  a  Southern  man." 

"  Yes ;  a  Southern  man  whose  great  Love  for  the  Union, 
prompted  him  to  do  what  very  few  men  in  any  land 
could  do ;  whose  great  love  for  human  rights  caused  him 
to  do  what  no  Northern,  and  particularly  no  Xew  Eng- 
land man,  would  do,  surrender  to  a  political  necessity 
thousands  of  millions  of  dollars  worth  of  property  belong- 
ing to  himself,  his  friends,  kindred  and  people.  This 
should  prove  conclusively  that  he  is  a  friend  to  the  Union 
and  also  to  the  negro.  He  is  free  from  any  long-cher- 
ished animosity,  of  course,  toward  his  own  section ;    and 


492  LEX  NON  SCRIPTA. 

is,  therefore,  of  all  men  now  in  power,  the  one  whose  feel- 
ings and  judgment  are  least  influenced  by  passion,  or  by 
any  sentiment  but  an  earnest  desire  for  the  best  welfare 
of  all  the  country.  What  his  judgment  is  now,  that  of 
all  equally  intelligent  men  will  be  when  the  blinding 
influences  of  passion  shall  have  passed  away." 

"  General,"  said  the  officer,  gathering  up  some  papers 
from  the  table,  "  I  should  like  to  have  a  talk  with  you  in 
the  private  office,  about  some  matters  of  more  than  ordi- 
nary importance.  If  you  please,  we  will  walk  into  the 
back  office,  where  there  will  be  no  danger  of  interruption, 
and  Mr.  Dillard  can  amuse  himself  with  the  papers  for 
an  hour  or  so." 

As  the  two  gentlemen  left  the  room,  Peter  listened  till 
he  heard  them  pass  through  the  room  next  adjoining,  and 
close  the  second  dQor.  Then,  throwing  himself  back  on 
the  bench,  and  stuffing  a  square  yard  of  red  cotton  ban- 
danna into  his  mouth,  he  indulged  in  an  inward  guffaw 
which  swelled  the  veins  of  his  neck  and  face,  till  suddenly 
the  wadded  handkerchief  flew  across  the  room,  like  a  wad 
from  a  pop-gun,  followed  by  an  explosion  of  laughter 
which  shook  the  window.  Springing  to  his  feet,  he  lis- 
tened a  moment,  to  see  if  the  explosion  had  caused  an 
alarm,  but  hearing  no  sound  from  the  back  office,  he  ejac- 
ulated "  Mars'  Conrad  is  done  got  dat  man  by  de  umbel- 
lycum  cord  es  sho  es  you's  born  ! "  and  hastily  cramming 
the  handkerchief  into  his  mouth  again,  he  threw  himself 
at  full  length  upon  the  bench  and  shook  with  laughter. 
After  his  silent  paroxysm  had  subsided,  he  picked  up  a 
pictorial  paper  and  commenced  looking  over  the  illustra- 
tions. He  had  been  intently  studying  for  some  time  a 
full-page  allegorical  caricature  representing  the  President 
holding  back,  by  the  tail  of  his  coat,  a  United  States  sol- 


"a  'ward  of  the  nation^  entees."        493 

dier  who  was  making  frantic  efforts  to  fly  to  the  rescue  of 
a  forlorn  looking  negro,  kneeling  in  a  mute  appeal  for 
mercy  to  a  band  of  white  savages  with  C.  S.  A.  on  their 
belts,  who  were  preparing  to  demolish  him  with  rifles, 
shot-guns,  swords  and  butcher  knives ;  while  over  the 
grinning  chief  magistrate  stood  the,  supposed-to-be  invis- 
ible form  of  the  Genius  of  Philanthropy  about  to  chop  off 
his  head  with  a  butcher's  cleaver,  when  a  voice  at  the 
front  door,  inquired : 

"  Is  de  boss  o'  de  Euro  at  home,  sah  ?  " 

"  Hey  ?  "  said  Peter,  looking  suddenly  around  and  dis- 
covering a  very  black  man,  whose  wild  eyes  were  taking 
a  hurried  inventory  of  the  furniture  and  belongings  of  the 
room ;  "  What  you  want,  you  nappy-headed  tar-bucket  ?  " 

"  Is  you  de  sudgent  o^  de  Euro  ?  " 

"  How  come  you  don't  'speck  I's  de  boss  ?  " 

"  I  was  here  yistiddy,  sah,  an'  de  boss  den  was  a  Avhite 
gent'man." 

"  An'  I  spose  you  thinks  dat  de  guv'ment  dat  could 
'ford  to  set  a  thousan'  million  o'  you  niggers  free,  an'  not 
charge  you  a  cent,  can't  'ford  to  have  two  bosses  to  a 
county,  to  keep  you  from  turnin'  out  tails,  an'  changin' 
back  to  monkeys  agin'  ?  " 

''  Sah  ! " 

"  Don't  Stan'  dar  wallin'  dem  eyes  like  a  duck  in  a 
thunder  storm  !  What  you  want  ?  Talk  !  I's  got  no 
valable  time  to  fling  away  on  you  ! " 

"  Well,  sah  ;  I  tuck  dat  anser  de  tother  boss  gin  me,  to 
de  ole  man  I's  bin  wuckin'  for,  an'  he  say  he  see  me,  an' 
de  Euro,  an'  de  guv'ment,  all  in  hell  befo'  he  pay  anoder 
cent ! " 

"  How  much  does  he  owe  you  ?  " 

"  My  wife  cooked  nine  munts  an'  fo'  days — but  I  flings 


494  LEX   NON  SCRIPTA. 

in  de  days — an'  he  'greed  to  pay  her  eight  dollars  a 
munt,  an'  de  teacher  at  Godesville  skool  is  done  figgered 
it  out  an'  she  say  tis  seventy-two  dollars." 

"  How  much  has  he  done  paid  on  it  ?  " 

"  Arter  we, had  de  scrimmage  he  flung  my  wife  seben 
dollars  an'  twenty  cents,  an'  say  dat's  all." 

^'  What  was  de  scrimmage  'bout  ?  " 

"  Well,  de  wimmen  fokes  got  into  a  'spute  'bout  stealin' 
de  sugar  an'  coffy  an'  things ;  an'  I  was  splainin'  de 
matter,  tryin'  to  keep  down  peace,  an'  de  ole  man  had  to 
put  in  his  jaw  ;  an'  bimeby  de  lie  got  to  bandyin'  about  an' 
den  we  had  it  knock  down  an'  drag  out !  But  I  got  de 
best  o'  dat  an'  I  ain't  got  no  fault  to  find  'cept  'bout  de 
munny." 

"  Was  any  o'  de  red  juice  drawed  ?  "     • 

"  Right  smart ;  but  none  out  o'  me." 

"  Who  den  ?  " 

''  Him.' 

"  How  much  ?  " 

"  Sout  a  skillet  full." 

"  Where'd  you  tap  'im  ?  " 

"  On  de  smeller." 

"  Why  didn't  you  tap  his  pocket  too  while  he  was 
down  ?  " 

"  Well,  dey  says  dat's  one  thing  dat's  agin  de  law  till 

yet." 

"  An'  is  dat  all  he  ever  paid  you,  sho  nuff  ?  " 

"  Clare  fore  God  tis  !     He  flung  my  wife  a  five,  an'  a 

two,  an'  two  dimes  an'  say  for  us  to  get  out  o'  his  yard 

an'  ef  we  ever  come  inside  agin  he'd  bust   our   heads 

open." 

.    "  Kin  you  prove  'bout  de  munny  ?  " 
"  Yes,  sah ;  all  de  fokes  says  dey'll  swar  to  it." 


"where  did  the  money  come  from?"     495 

"  How  many  witnesses  is  he  got  ?  '' 

"  Not  more'n  three  or  fo',  an'  dey  ain't  nothin'  but 
white  fokses  niggers/' 

"  Did  tother  boss  swar  you  yistiddy  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sah ;  he  swored  me  on  de  biges'  book  in  de 
Euro ! " 

"  An'  what  you  swared  to  was  de  troof ;  was  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sah ;  sixty  fo'  dollars  an'  eighty  cents.  Dat's 
what  de  skool  teacher  says.     I  ain't  got  no  eddycation." 

"  How's  you  workin'  ?  " 

"  Half  de  crap ;  an'  finds  myself." 

"  How  many  chil'n  is  you  got  ?  " 

"  Six." 

"  How  much  munny  is  you  got  now  ?  ^' 

"  Des  what  he  paid  yistiddy ;  seben  twenty — but,  I 
forgot,  I  spent  de  twenty." 

"  What  for  ?  " 

"  Tickler  o'  licker.  " 

"  What  you  done  wid  all  de  munny  from  last  year's 
crap  ?  " 

"  Didn't  have  nary  cent  after  Crismus  was  over." 

"  Whar  did  all  de  munny  come  from  for  dat  nice  new 
dress  you  gin  your  wife  in  de  spring  an'  de  hat,  an'  shoes, 
an'  ribbins,  an  things  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  give  'em  to  her ;  she  got  'em  herself." 

"  Where'd  she  get  de  munny  from  ?  " 

"Sah!" 

"  Yes,  tis  ^  saah  ! '  Where'd  all  dat  munny  come 
from  ?  Don't  stan'  dar  a  puckerin'  your  mouf  like  you'd 
done  swallowed  a  green  persimmon  !     Talk  ! " 

"  Well,  I  'clare  I  had  done  clean  forgot  dem  clo's. 
He  did  give  her  fifteen  dollars  to  get  dem,  an'  dat's  all ; 
every  cent ! " 


496  LEX  Is^ON  SCEIPTA. 

"  How  about  clo's  for  you  an  de  chiPn  ?  " 

"  Sah  !     Clo^s  ?  " 

"  Don't  go  to  tellin'  none  o'  your  lies  here !  You's 
floppin'  dem  lips  now  tryin'  to  get  out  one  !  It's  de  bis- 
ness  o'  de  Buro  to  know  everything,  an'  I's  de  boss  -dat 
does  de  knowin'  branch  o'  de  bisness.  Tother  boss  ain't 
wufiP  much  in  dat  line,  but  you  can't  pass  no  silver-plated 
lie  on  me,  an'  don't  you  forgit  it !  Talk  up  'bout  dem 
clo's ! " 

^^  Well,  you  see  de  ole  'oman  begged  de  'omen  she 
cooked  for  out  o'  her  chiln's  ole  clos  for  my  chil'n,  an' 
dat  done  for  dem ;  but  I  did  git  some  close  an'  we'll  put 
down  five  dollars  for  dat.  I's  glad  you  'minded  me  o' 
dat.  It  makes  twenty  dollars,  an'  leaves  forty  fo'  an' 
eighty  cents,  don't  it?  Gimme  a  order  for  dat  an'  I'U 
be  satisfied." 

"  Any  stos  up  dat  way  dat  runs  on  tick  ?  " 

"  No,  sah  !     It's  cash  up  an'  de  munny  down  ! " 

"  Whar'd  de  munny  come  from  to  get  you  rashens  ?  " 

"  Sah  !     Rashens  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  you  bet !  Rashens — meat,  an'  meal,  an'  flour, 
an'  sugar,  an'  coify,  an'  lassess,  an'  crackers,  an'  sargeens, 
an'  good  things  !  Don't  stan'  dar  battin'  dem  eyes  like 
a  bull  frog  wid  de  belly  ache !  Ef  you  tells  lies  to  de 
Buro  you  gits  your  years  nailed  to  de  cote  house  do',  an' 
your  har  swinged  off  wid  a  light'ud  torch  !     Talk  ! " 

"  Well,  sah,  you  see,  my  ole  'oman's  bin  doin'  de 
cookin'." 

"  Yes,  I  see ;    but  I  speck  she  couldn't  hook  'nuiF 

.  for  you  an'  all  dem  six  chil'n.     Talk  up  !     I  kin  see  de 

holes  in  your  years  already  an'  smell  your  naps  a  fry  in'." 

"  Rashens  !  Well,  I  'clare  to  gracious  I  had  done 
clean  forgot  dem  rashens;  an'  I  has  done  forgot  how 


"a  eude  but  righteous  judge."  497 

many  he  gin  me  !  But  I's  willin'  to  settle  for  ten  dol- 
lars. Sen'  de  sogers  up  dar  an'  make  him  pay  me  dat 
an'  I'll  be  satisfied ;  but  tother  boss  said  ef  he  'sputed 
de  'count  o'  de  skool  teacher  agin,  he'd  sen'  de  sogers  up, 
an'  den  I'd  git  de  whole  sixty  fo'  dollars  an'  eighty  cents  ; 
an'  I'd  git  it  by  de  witnesses  too.  But  he's  a  po'  man 
anyhow,  an'  I'll  be  stisfied  wid  de  ten  dollars." 

Without  replying  Peter  reached  across  the  table  for  an 
official  blank,  and  as  he  had  learned  to  form  the  letters  of 
his  name,  he  wrote  "Peter  Dillard"  in  an  awkward 
scrawl  along  several  of  the  lines.  Then,  deliberately 
folding  the  paper,  he  handed  it  to  the  man,  and  spoke  in  a 
commanding  tone  of  voice  : 

"  See  here,  my  good  feller,  we  has  done  turned  over  a 
new  leaf  in  dis  Buro ;  an'  'taint  no  shop  now  whar  a 
rogue  kin  git  help  to  rob  a  hones'  man.  All  dat  is  done 
played  out !  Take  dis  paper  to  de  gent' man  you  has  bin 
workin'  for,  an'  tell  him  ef  he  ever  pays  you  a  nother  red 
cent  I'll  have  him  'rested  an'  make  you  an'  all  your 
family  come  here  an'  cook  an'  work  for  'im  w^hile  he's  in 
jail.  An'  tell  him,  arter  you  'livers  dat  order,  ef  you 
ever  darkens  his  yard  gate  agin,  an'  he  don't  give  you 
what  de  I'shman  give  de  drum,  ^nd  a  busted  head  flung 
in,  I'll  sen'  a  file  o'  sogers  up  dar  an'  make  him  hit  every 
nigger  in  de  neighborhood  nine  an'  thirty  lashes.  An' 
now,  ef  you  don't  'liver  dat  note,  an'  all  o'  dem  messages, 
straight  es  a  shingle,  an'  slick  es  goose  grease,  I'll  make 
a  cote-martial  set  on  you  an'  mash  you  es  flat  es  a  pan- 
cake. You  has  done  hyeared  my  racket,  an'  dat  racket 
is  like  de  law  o'  de  ^ledes  an' — dem  tother  folks,  an' 
don't  you  forgit  it !  Now  git  up  an'  git !  You's  so 
black  it  makes  me  sleepy,  an'  I  speck  all  de  chickens  in 
town  is  done  gone  to  roost." 


498  LEX  NON  SCRIPTA. 

"  Well,  sah ;  but '' 

"  But  your  head  agin  cle  rock  o'  ages  ef  you  want  to, 
but  you  better  lite  out  from  here  in  a  hurry  ! " 

"  Yes,  sah  ;  but  I^d  like  to  see •'" 

"  You'll  see  de  gates  o'  glory,  or  de  smoke  and  brim- 
stone o'  de  tother  place,  wid  a  ba'net  in  your  haslet,  ef 
you  don't  skip  from  here  in  less'n  half  a  second ;  an'  ef 
you  ever  comes  back  here  agin  !  March  !  Make  tracks  ! 
Heel  it !  I  wonder  whar's  dat  raskully  sudgent  o'  de 
gyards  !  Here's  a  chance  to  nail  a  nigger's  saddle-sky earts 
to  de  cote  house  do'  an  swinge  off  his  kinks  for  swarin' 
to  a  lie,  an'  dat  sudgent  ain't  here  ! " 

These  vigorous  and  vehement  exclamations  started  the 
frightened  negro  in  a  quick  gait  down  the  street  in  the 
direction  of  the  open  country.  Peter  went  to  the  door 
and  gazed  after  him  for  a  moment,  and  then  with  a  grunt 
of  self-approval,  returned  to  the  paper  to  laugh  over  the 
happy  conceit  of  the  "  Harpies"  which,  though  he  did 
not  fully  understand  it,  he  knew  was  a  capital  joke 
about  to  be  played  upon  the  Head  of  the  government. 


"The  Head  of  the  Goyernment.'* 


CHAPTER  XXXI . 
A  Holy  Apparition. 

♦"  No  beast  of  more  portentous  size. 

In  the  Hercynian  forest  lies." — RoscoMMOir. 

"  Hypocrisy,  with  holy  leer. 
Sat  smiling  and  demurely  looking  down, 
But  hid  the  dagger  underneath  the  goum" 

— Dryden. 

WHILE  Peter  Dillard  was  "  turning  over  a  new  leaf  in 
the  office  of  the  bureau  agency,  and  causing  inebri- 
ated justice  to  rub  her  drowsy  and  besotted  eyes,  the  two 
gentlemen  were  engaged  in  a  conversation  which  absorbed 
their  entire  interest  and  attention.  The  officer,  having 
carefully  closed  the  door,  drew  a  chair  in  front  of  Mv, 
Conrad,  and  remarked : 

"  I  regret  very  much  that  we  did  not  sooner  become 
acquainted  with  each  other,  as  you  are  in  such  a  position 
as  to  be  qualified  to  give  most  valuable  advice  with  refer- 
ence to  the  difficult  problem  of  dealing  with  the  punc- 
tilious people  of  this  section,  and  staying  the  growing 
disposition  which  they  evince  to  protest  against  what 
displeases  them  by  acts  of  secret  violence.  If  I  know 
myself,  I  would  be  unwilling  to  hold  this  office  if  I  did 
not  feel  that  I  could  do  justice,  as  becomes  a  Chris- 
tian soldier,  to  all  classes  without  undue  bias.  Of  course, 
I  cannot  ignore  the  fact,  however,  that  my  first  duty,  and 
the  only  one  for  which  the  bureau  was  established  and  is 

499 


500  A   HOLY   APPARITION. 

continued,  is,  as  I  understand  it,  to  promote  the  well-being, 
happiness  and  social  advancement  of  the  freedman. 
Every  interest  of  Christianity  and  patriotism  demands 
that  those  who  have,  for  so  long,  been  bowed  down  under 
slavery  shall  be  taught,  Avith  all  possible  dispatch,  that 
it  is  their  duty  to  themselves,  their  country  and  their 
God,  to  stand  up  like  men,  now  that  we  have  torn 
the  shackles  from  their  limbs,  and  assert  their  manhood 
and  their  equal  rights.  They  have  much  to  karn  while 
the  white  people  have  much  to  unlearn.  The  latter  need 
our  teaching,  in  my  opinion,  even  more  than  the  former, 
but  at  present  we  can  only  teach  them  indirectly  through 
the  freedmen.  They  both  have  to  unlearn  the  past 
lessons  of  two  centuries,  and  the  task  set  before  the  white 
people  is  much  the  more  difficult  to  acquire,  because  a 
distasteful  one  which  inflicts  torture  upon  their  pride  of 
caste.  We  may  feel  pity  and  compassion  for  them  but 
we  know  they  must  learn  their  task,  and  that  the  quicker 
it  is  acquired,  the  better  for  them,  and  for  the  nation. 
What  a  too  tender  sentiment  might  regard  as  wrong, 
cruelty,  oppression,  or  what  not,  true  philanthropy,  in  the 
present  position  of  matters,  discovers  to  be  real  and  intelli- 
gent kindness.  Their  body-politic  is  covered  with  leprous 
sores  caused  by  generations  of  slavery,  and  though  the 
touch  of  the  surgeon  gives  excrutiating  pain,  shall  we,  on 
that  account,  cover  the  sores  with  the  emollient  plaster  of 
a  weak  sentimentality  and  an  abandonment  of  the  eternal 
principles  of  human  equality,  and  leave  them  to  fester 
and  destroy  our  mendicant  neighbor  ;  or  shall  we  cauterize 
them  and  have  done  with  it  ?  Our  New  England  civili- 
zation, the  healthy  physician,  who  has  cured  himself  of  a 
similar  leprosy,  orders  heroic  treatment,  and  our  philan- 
throphy,  the  truly  feeling  and   tender-hearted    hospital 


"southern  intolerance."       501 

nurse,  demands  cauterization.  This  must,  of  course,  cause 
present  pain,  but  it  insures  future  health  and  usefulness. 

"  As  regards  the  acts  of  mob  violence  alluded  to,  you 
are  aware  that  such  acts  are  not  new  to  the  people  of  the 
South.  You  may  have  heard  of  two  Northern  men, 
Wheeless  and  Purst,  who  were  sent  here  as  missionaries 
to  the  slaves  just  prior  to  the  war  by  the  united  action  of 
various  Christian  and  philanthropic  societies  of  New 
England.  In  this  county,  and  not  far  from  where 
Wheeless  now  lives,  they  were  beaten  with  many  stripes, 
and  notified  that  they  would  be  hanged  if  they  ever 
returned  to  Alabama.  Two  Wesleyans  were  treated  in 
the  same  manner  in  North  Carolina — torn  from  the 
pulpit  and  beaten,  and  notified  if  they  ever  returned 
they  would  be  murdered.  I  could  mention  some 
twenty  or  more  such  cases,  that  were  less  severely 
punished,  all  because  they  wished  to  do  their  needy  fellow- 
creatures  good.  All  this  indicates  a  woeful  condition  of 
affairs,  and  the  necessity  for  the  intervention  and  enforced 
teachings  of  a  higher  order  of  civilization. '^ 

"  You  have  forgotten  to  mention  the  case  of  John 
Brown,  who  was  sent  out  by  the  same  Christian  and  phil- 
anthropic societies,  and  was  hanged  by  and  under  the  laws 
of  Virginia.^^ 

["  Yes ;  it  is  just  such  intolerance  as  this  that  makes  it 
next  to  impossible,  for  the  South  to  accept  its  present 
situation.  The  Southern  people  want  to  shoot,  whip, 
hang  and  burn  those  w^ho  do  not  agree  with  them.  It  is 
all  the  fruit  and  outcome  of  two  hundred  years  of 
slavery  ;  in  fact,  it  is  part  and  parcel  of  it." 

"  But  you  don't  think  those  men  had  any  right  to 
come  here  and  preach  such  dangerous  doctrines,  do 
you  ?  " 


502  A  HOLY  APPARITION. 

"  Certainly,  general ;  why  not  ?  " 

"  Why,  it  seems  to  me  the  most  evident  thing  on  earth 
that  every  community  has  an  undoubted  right  to  pro- 
tect itself.  That  is  all  they  did — protect  themselves 
and  their  institutions." 

"  Protect  themselves  agahist  their  institutions  more 
properly.  That  is  the  strength  of  the  abolitionist's 
position.  No  community  has  any  right  to  have,  cherish, 
or  protect  any  institution  which  cannot  bear  the  light  of 
reason  and  free  discussion." 

"  But  suppose  they  do  tolerate  such  an  institution,  does 
that  give  one  a  right  to  bring  a  fire-brand  among  them  ? 
Are  they  not  the  proper  judges  of  what  is  the  correct 
thing  for  their  own  good — the  keepers  of  their  own 
consciences  ?  " 

"  It  is  useless  to  discuss  the  matter,  general.  Excuse 
me  for  saying  that  those  are  the  arguments  of  intoler- 
ance and  bigotry  in  all  ages.  Even  men  who  are 
disposed  to  be  liberal-minded  are  blinded  by  them. 
That  very  argument  would  justify  these  people  in  giving 
me  a  flagellation.  The  principle  is  the  same.  By  that 
reasoning  they  have  a  right  to  suppress  me  by  violence, 
or  even  by  murder,  if  need  be." 

"  Oh,  not  so  bad  as  that ! " 

"  Yes ;  as  bad  as  that,  and  I  tell  you  what  it  is,  general, 
the  most  dangerous  and  difficult  element  of  the  future 
at  the  South  is  this  irrepressible  intolerance  of  the 
opinions  of  others.  They  deem  disagreement  an  insult, 
and  opposition  a  crime  which  justifies  any  enormity. 
It  will  bring  bitter  fruit  and  you  will  see  it ! "]  * 

*  The  portion  of  this  conversation  between  the  brackets  is  copied 
from  "A  Fools  Errand" — pages  80-2.  The  intelligent  reader  will 
observe  that  the  champion  of  incendiary  preaching  and  teaching 


"two  aVTLIZATIONS   CONTRASTED."  503 

"  These  people  are  already  feeding  upon  the  bitter  fruits 
that  have  resulted  from  disagreement  being  deemed  an 
insult,  and  opposition  a  crime,  by  the  philanthropists  of 
your  section.  The  Southern  people,  as  a  people,  have 
always  been  good  neighbors.  They  have  never  shown  a 
disposition  to  poke  their  noses  into  their  neighbors'  af- 
fairs, and  rattle  up  and  tattle  about  the  skeletons  in  their 
closets.  If  New  England  burnt  witches,  they  only 
grieved  over  her  folly  and  superstition ;  if  she  had  labor 
or  other  riots,  and  got  up  crusades  against  foreigners, 
they  only  looked  on  in  silent  wonder;  and  if  she  developed 
agrarianism,  spiritualism,  free-loveism,  atheism  and  other 
isms  which  they  did  not  admire,  they  only  wagged  their 
heads,  and  said  one  to  another,  'We  will  have  none  of  this 
patent  civilization ! '  They  have  been  willing  to  allow 
New  England  to  enjoy  her  own  Christianity  and  civiliz- 
ation in  her  own  way,  and  have  only  been  intolerant  of 
her  stubborn  determination  not  to  grant  them  the  same 
pri\dlege.  They  think  that  they  themselves,  and  not 
New  England,  will  be  held  accountable  for  their  sins,  and 
that  therefore  New  England  wrongs  herself  as  well  as 
others  when  she  encourages  her  people  to  repent  of  other 
people's  sins  instead  of  their  own.  Religious  teaching 
here  is  very  different.      It  addresses  the  individual  ; — 

tangles  himself  up  in  his  arguments  until  he  is  forced  to  "beg 
the  question."  The  "light  of  reason  and  free  discussion"  which 
the  author  speaks  of  as  having  been  forbidden  in  the  South  prior 
to  the  war,  was  the  light  which  was  made  to  shine  only  through 
such  philanthropists  as  John  Brown,  and  only  in  such  secret  meetings 
as  he  held  to  plot  murder  and  arson ;  and  the  free  discussion  which 
was  forbidden  and  severely  punished,  was  the  discussion  in  secret 
clubs,  of  the  question  whether  cannon-balls,  fire-brands,  or  arsenic, 
was  the  better  civilizing  agent  to  be  used  upon  the  haughty  and 
scornful  barbarians  of  the  South. 


504  A  HOLY  APPARITION. 

separates  him  from  society,  and  warns  him  to  look  into 
his  own  heart,  and  acknowledge  and  repent  of  his  own 
sins.  It  does  not  make  it  a  custom  to  rail  against  the 
sins  of  communities  and  agitate  for  gigantic  reforms, — 
thus  encouraging  the  individual  to  ignore  the  vice  in  his 
own  heart  while  he  compares  his  virtues,  scant  as  they 
may  be,  with  the  failings  of  a  community — encouraging 
him  to  burn  incense  to  himself  upon  the  altar  of  unchar- 
itableness,  instead  of  subjecting  himself  to  the  humiliation 
and  mortification  of  repentance;  encouraging,  fostering 
and  pampering  what  the  people  here  call  Pharisaism." 

"  Well,  general,  respecting  the  proper  course  to  be  pur- 
sued toward  the  white  people  here,  can  you  tell  me 
what  they  complain  of?" 

"  They  consider  that  there  is  no  law  for  their  protection. 
That  your  will,  within  very  undefined  limits,  is  their 
law,  and  that  you  are  prejudiced  against  them.  They  see 
the  negroes,  who  were  always  before  kind  and  respectful 
friends,  changed  to  deceitful  and  treacherous,  and  often 
bitter  and  insulting  enemies,  and  they  credit  the  Freed- 
man's  Bureau  and  the  missionaries  with  producing  the 
change.  They  feel  that  they  are  at  the  mercy  of  the 
spiteful  caprices  of  any  wanton  enemy  who  may  choose  to 
attack  or  prey  upon  them  ;  and  that  when  attacked,  they 
[^  have  only  physical  force  to  appeal  to  with  any  hope  of 
getting  a  satisfactory  response.  So  far,  they  have  only 
retaliated  and  inflicted  such  punishment  as  justice  seemed  to 
them  to  demand.  I  do  not  think  they  will  ever  do  more 
than  this,  but  I  candidly  believe  they  are  the  only  spirited 
people  on  the  face  of  the  globe  who  could  submit  to  their 
many  inflictions,  crowned  by  the  taunts  and  wanton  in- 
sults of  an  inferior  race,  without  scenes  of  bloodshed 
terrible  to   think   of.      Many   of  their   leading   people 


"superstition  admiring  hypocrisy."       505 

believe  that  there  is  a  deep  design  to  fire  the  hearts  and 
passions  of  the  negroes,  with  a  view  to  forcing  the  white 
people  into  bloody  acts  of  mob  violence,  which  may  be 
construed  into,  and  perhaps  ultimately  lead  really  to, 
revolt  against  the  local  authorities  of  the  government. 
Perhaps  they  would  evince  less  of  Spartan  fortitude  w^ere 
it  not  for  this  conviction,  and  a  consequent  determination 
to  disappoint,  what  they  believe  to  be,  the  schemes  of  a 
not  fully  glutted  vengeance  on  the  part  of  their  old  foes, 
the  *  philanthropists.'  '^ 

"  They  are  uncharitable,  general,  for  I  claim  to  be  a 
philanthropist  myself,  and  I  assure  you  my  all-absorbing 
desire  is  to  keep  the  country  as  quiet  and  orderly  as 
possible.  But  I  think  it  likely  that  I  have  not  pursued 
the  wisest  course  here  ;  and  if  I  shall  continue  to  fill  this 
office,  I  shall  seek  to  win  the  personal  confidence  of  the 
best  class  of  the  white  people.  As  regards  disturbances, 
I  have  a  letter  here  from  the  principal  of  the  Bethel 
Mission-School,  which,  I  fear,  forebodes  trouble  for  our 
colored  friend  in  the  front  office,  and  several  others.  It 
seems  that  they  have  a  seer  there  who  attends  class- 
meetings,  et  cetera,  at  the  Bethel  Church,  and  sees  strange 
things  sometimes.      This  letter  gives  one  of  his  visions." 

As  the  officer  spoke,  he  handed-  Mr.  Conrad  quite  a 
lengthy  epistle,  which  he  glanced  over  carelessly  till  he 
came  to  the  name  of  "  Uncle  Jerry. "     He  then  read  : 

"  After  a  time  Uncle  Jerry  raised  his  head,  which  had 
all  the  time  been  bowed  upon  his  knees  since  the  meeting 
began,  and,  lifting  his  thin  hand  toward  the  people,  said, 
in  a  soft,  clear  voice, 

"  ^  Let  us  all  kneel  down  'an  pray, — one  mo'  short 
pra'r — short  pra'r  ! ' 

"  He  knelt  wdth  his  face  toward  us.      The  guttered 

31 


K 


606  A    HOLY   APPARITION. 

candle  on  the  rough  pine  table  threw  its  flickering  light 
over  him,  as  with  upturned  face  and  clasping  hands,  he 
^  talked  with  God/  Oh,  how  simply  and  directly  !  And 
as  he  prayed,  a  strange  light  seemed  to  come  over  his 
brown  face,  set  in  its  white  frame  of  sno^vy  hair  and 
beard.  He  prayed  for  all,  except  himself,  and  seeemed  to 
brins:  the  cares  and  troubles  of  all  before  the  throne  of 
grace,  as  if  he  had  the  key  to  the  heart  of  each. 

^^  Then  he  came  to  pray  for  us, — ^the  stranger  frens' 
whom  God  had  raised  up,  and  led  in  His  mysterious 
way,  to  do  us  good, — 'bless  em',  O  Lord,  in  basket  and 
sto',  heart  an'  home.  Dey  don't  know  what  dey's  got 
afo'  'em.  Stay  der  bans,  an'  keep  'em  strong  an'  brave  !' 
But  I  can  never  reproduce  the  strange  tenderness  and 

faith   of  this  prayer.      I  leaned  my  head  on  's 

shoulder,  and  the  tears  fell  like  rain  as  I  listened.  All  at 
once  there  was  silence.  The  voice  of  prayer  had  ceased, 
and  yet  the  prayer  did  not  seem  ended.  I  raised  my 
eyes,  and  looked.  Uncle  Jerry  still  knelt  at  his  chair, 
every  worshipper  still  kneeling  in  his  place,  but  every 
head  was  turned,  and  every  eye  was  fastened  on  him. 
His  eyes  were  fixed — on  what !  He  w^as  looking  upward, 
as  if  he  saw  beyond  the  earth.  His  face  was  set  in  rigid 
lines,  yet  lighted  up  with  a  look  of  awful  joy.  His  breath 
came  slowly  and  sobbingly,  but  aside  from  that,  not  a 
muscle  moved.  Not  a  word  was  uttered,  but  every  eye 
was  fastened  on  him  with  hushed  and  fearful  expectancy. 

"  Five  minutes — perhaps  ten  minutes — elapsed  and  he 
had  not  spoken  or  moved.  It  was  fearful,  the  terrible 
silence,  and  that  fixed,  immovable  fiice,  and  stony  figure. 
There  was  something  preternatural  about  it. 

"  At  length  there  came  a  quiver  about  the  lips.  The 
eyes  lost  their  fixity.     The  hands  which  had  rested  on  the 


"face  to  face  with  the  deity."  507 

• 

chair  were  clasped  together,  and  a  look  of  divine  rapture 
swept  across  the  upturned  face,  as  he  exclaimed,  in  a  tone 
fairly  burdened  with  ecstatic  joy  : 

"  ^  I  see  Him  !  I  see  Hirn !  Dar  he  is  !^  and  he 
pointed  with  a  thin  and  trembling  hand  toward  the 
further  corner  of  the  room.  ^  I  see  Him  wid  de  crown 
ob  salvation  on  His  head  ;  de  keys  ob  hebbin  a  hangin' 
in  his  girdle,  God's  keys  for  de  white  pearl  gates,  wid  de 
bres'  plate  ob  Holiness  an'  de  mantle  ob  Righteousness. 
Dah  He  is  a  walkin'  among  de  candlesticks  yit.  He's  a 
comin'  nigh  us — bress  His  holy  name  !  a  lookin'  arter 
His  people  an'  a-gatherin'  on  'em  in. — Separatin'  de 
sheeps  from  de  goats ;  de  lams  from  de  black  sheep. 
He's  turnin'  His  back  on  de  black  sheep  dat  whipped 
Bill  Smiff !  He's  frownin'  on  de  goats  dat  killed  John 
Colston  de  soger  o'  de  Union  an'  soger  o'  de  cross.  Ah- 
ha  !  It's  Peter  Dillard,  Dick  Sty  ode  an'  two  white  men, 
— white  "men, — black  sheep — black  sheep  an'  goats.' 

"  I  cannot  tell  you  what  a  strange  rhapsody  fell  from 
his  lips;  but  it  ended  as  it  had  begun,  suddenly  and 
without  warning.  The  glorified  look  faded  from  his 
face.  The  sentence  died  midway  on  his  lips.  His  eyes 
regained  their  conscious  look,  and  ran  around  the  hushed 
circle  of  attent  faces,  while  a  knowledge  of  Avhat  had 
taken  place  seemed  first  to  flash  upon  him.  He  covered 
his  face  with  his  hands,  and  sank  down  with  a  groan, 
exclaiming,  in  apologetic  tones  : 

"  '  O  Lor'  !  O  Lor'  !  Thou  knowest  the  weakness  ob 
dy  sarvant !     Spar'  him  !    spar'  him  ! ' 

"  The  meeting  ended  and  we  went  home.  Somehow  I 
cannot  get  over  the  feeling  that  that  church  is  place  where 
one  has  indeed  seen  God. 

"  They  told  us  that  Uncle  Jerry  often  had  these  spells, 


508  A   HOLY   APPARITION. 

as  they  call  them ;  whenever  there  was  a  great  battle 
pending  or  imminent,  during  the  war,  they  could  always 
tell  which  way  the  fight  had  gone  by  what  he  said  in 
these  trances.  They  say  he  knows  nothing  of  what  he 
says  at  such  times.  I  asked  him  about  it  to-day.  He 
simply  said :  ^  I  can't  splain  it,  missus.  'Pears  like 
it's  a  cross  I  hez  'specially  to  carry.  It's  made  me  a  heap 
o'  trouble.  Bin  whipped  for  it  heaps  o'  times,  an'  sides 
dat,  I  allers  feels  ez  ef  I'd  lived  'bout  ten  years  when  I 
comes  out  o'  one  o'  dem  spells.  Can't  understand  it, 
missus,  but  Uncle  Jerry  '11  quit  in  some  o'  dem  spells 
yit.'  "  * 

*^  What  do  you  think  of  it  ?  "  asked  the  officer,  as  Mr. 
Conrad  laid  the  letter  upon  the  table. 

^^  It's  all  very  ridiculous,  of  course,"  laughed  the  latter. 
"  I  am  surprised  that  moderately  intelligent  and  pre- 
sumably unsuperstitious  people  should  notice,  and  thus 
encourage  the  wicked  and  impious  antics  of  the  poor 
ignorant  pretender.  I  have  heard  before,  in  a  general 
way,  of  this  fellow's  miraculous  visions,  and  the  most 
charitable  construction  that  any  sensible  person  can  put 
on  them  is  that  he  is  crazy.  But  the  general  opinion'  is 
that  he  is  a  shrewd  and  vicious  person  who  has  an  inor- 
dinate love  of  notoriety.  He  made  a  moderately  fair 
guess  as  to  the  punishers  of  William  Smith,  but  he  is 
entirely  off,  I  think,  with  reference  to  the  assassination  of 
Colston.  Dick  Stewart  lives  on  my  place  and  was  with 
Stewart  and  myself  at  Huntsville  on  that  night." 

"  I  cannot  imagine,  general,  why,  if  you  thought  justice 
had  not  been  done  in  the  case  of  Judge  Garnett,  you 
did  not  complain  to  me.     Garnett  refused  to  produce  any 

*This  letter  is  copied  from  "A  Fool's  Errand,"  pages  88-90.     The 
portion  bringing  the  charge  is  changed  to  suit  this  narrative. 


a    T>-r.CT-.T^-mT^TTT  "T.  T-.-r>T-.T    C,     >> 


RESENTFUL   REBELS.  509 

testimony  to  corroborate  his  statement  because,  as  he  said, 
only  negroes  had  witnessed  the  affray,  and  he  was  exceed- 
ingly arrogant.  Smith  brought  over  a  dozen  witnesses 
whose  testimony  was  necessarily  convincing,  because  each 
one  told  identically  the  same  tale.  To  be  candid,  I 
should  have  been  glad  of  a  good  excuse  to  withhold  the 
punishment  which  I  felt  compelled  to  inflict." 

"  I  have  not  interested  mvself  in  minor  affairs  here '' 
replied  Mr.  Conrad,  "because  I  prefer  to  put  myself 
exactly  in  the  place  of  these  people,  and  thus  be  enabled 
to  judge  of  my  people  and  of  yours,  and  of  the  present 
political  questions  from  their  standpoint.  But  does  not 
your  ^  latitude  ^  admit  of  your  considering  the  characters 
of  the  persons  w^ho  testify  before  you  ?  " 

"  Well,  hardly,"  replied  the  officer,  with  some  embar- 
rassment. "  I  feel  that  I  have  a  right  to  know  nothing  of 
the  people  here  except  what  is  known  by  the  government, 
that  one  class  is  loyal  and  the  other  is  not." 

"  Why  do  you  presume,  or  take  it  for  granted  that  the 
white  people  here  are  not  loyal  ?  " 

"  How  could  thev  be  ?  " 

'  "  How  could  they  be  otherwise  ?  They  are  an  honor- 
able, high-minded  people,  and  have  pledged  themselves  to 
submit  to  the  authority  of  the  government,  and  mean  to 
keep  the  pledge,  and  are  keeping  it  under  most  trying 
circumstances.  This  is  passive  loyalty,  and  is  all  that 
could  be  reasonably  expected  of  them  just  yet." 

"  But  they  are  resentful.  They  expected  the  nation  to 
come  back  to  them,  when  its  power  was  re-established, 
absolutely  unchanged  and  unmodified.  It  came  back 
instead  with  a  new  impetus,  a  new  life,  born  of  the  stormy 
years  that  have  intervened,  putting  under  its  feet  the  old 
issues  that  have  devided  parties,  scornful  of  ancient  states- 


510  A   HOLY   APPARITION. 

manship,  and  mocking  the  graybeards  who  have  been 
revered  as  sages  in  the  ^  good  old  days  of  the  Republic/ ''  * 

"  Does  what  you  say  represent  fairly  the  sentiments  of 
your  people  and  party  ?  Has  the  nation  really  come  back 
with  an  impetus  born  of  anything  but  the  organic  law, 
which  alone  makes  it  a  lawful  government,  and  entitles 
it  to  the  loyality  of  any  citizen  of  any  state  ?  Is  it  truly 
scornful  of  ancient  statesmanshi}i — the  statesmanship 
which  reared  it  from  a  little  group  of  weak  and  ununited 
communities  to  be  one  of  the  first  nations  of  the  globe  ? 
Does  it  indeed  mock  the  graybeards  whose  wisdom 
and  patriotism  made  fanaticism  ashamed  and  afraid  to 
rear  its  hideous  head  until  they  had  disappeared  from  the 
earth  ?  While  we  who  loved  the  Union  fought  to  pre- 
serve it,  have  those  who  made  it  a  tool  to  punish  their 
foes — the  people  to  whom  they  ^  sold  slaves  for  the  love 
of  gold,^  and  from  whom  they  wished  to  ^  steal  them 
back  for  the  love  of  God  ' — really  subverted  the  govern- 
ment ?  " 

"  Of  course,  the  government  has  not  been  subverted, 
but  it  has  achieved — won  by  force  of  arms,  if  we  choose 
so  to  express  it — a  solidity,  a  strength  and  power,  an 
authority  which  the  timidity  of  the  original  colonies — 
those  in  particular  which  we  have  recently  conquered — 
feared  to  entrust  it  with  at  the  first  formation  of  the 
government.  If  we  do  not  mean  that  the  government 
shall  be  insidiously  robbed  of  this  new  life  and  strength 
and  authority  we  must  keep  the  so-called  conservatism  of 
these  people  from  acquiring  any  influence  in  our  politics. 
We  must  wipe  out  all  former  state  lines  and  make  the 
South  one  vast  military  department,  or  give  it  only  terri- 
torial government,  at  least,  for  many  years  to  come.     But 

*This  sentiment  is  from  "A  Fool's  Errand,"  page  126. 


"the  brave  honor  the  brave."  511 

if  we  were  ever  so  anxious  to  rehabiliate  these  former 
states  we  must  ''  recognize  as  an  undeniable  fact  the  idea 
that  men  who  have  gazed  into  each  other's  faces,  over 
gleaming  gun  barrels,  by  the  fateful  blaze  of  battle,  are 
not  so  fit  to  adjust  the  questions  arising  out  of  the  conflict 
as  those  yet  unborn."  * 

"  If  what  you  suggest  is  possible  of  accomplishment, 
then,  indeed,  the  government  has  been  subverted ;  or,  if 
not  so,  its  accomplishment  would  be  the  virtual  sub- 
version of  the  government.  As  regards  those  'who 
have  •  gazed  into  each  other's  faces  over  gleaming 
gun-barrels,  by  the  fateful  blaze  of  battle,' — if  they  could 
be  left  to  'adjust  the  questions  arising  out  of  the  conflict,' 
there  would  be  immediate  peace,  prosperity  and  good 
government  in  the  South ;  and,  in  good  time,  more  cordial 
relations  between  the  Northern  people,  generally,  and 
those  of  the  South,  than  have  existed  since  the  South  suc- 
ceeded in  having  the  African  slave  trade  declared  piracy 
by  the  laws.  All  brave  people  respect  those  who  prove 
themselves  possessed  of  like  qualities  of  courage,  even 
though  the  proof  may  have  been  exhibited  in  warfare 
against  themselves  ;  and  there  is  nothing  easier  or  more 
natural,  or  that  gives  more  sincere  pleasure  to  the  truly 
brave,  than  to  accept  the  hand  of  friendship  when  offered 
by  a  chivalrous  and  honorable  foe.  The  great  trouble  is, 
that  those  who  have  not  gazed  into  each  other's  faces  over 
gleaming  gun-barrels,  et  cetera,  have  taken  upon  them- 
elves  the  task  of  '  gathering  and  securing  the  fruits 
of  victory,'  of '  making  treason  odious,'  and  of '  punishing 
the  rebel  traitors.'  The  questions  properly  '  arising  out 
of  the  conflict'  have  been  adjusted — were  adjusted  by  the 

*The   latter  portion  of  this  speech   is  from  "A  Fools   Errand," 
page  116. 


512  A   HOLY   APPARITION. 

surrender  of  the  Confederate  armies,  and  by  the  recog- 
nition of  the  binding  effect  of  the  emancipation  proclam- 
ation." 

"  Would  you  have  rebellion  to  go  unpunished  ?  It  is 
true,  the  South  has  lost — lost  her  men,  her  money,  her 
slaves ;  but  that  was  only  a  gambler's  stake,  the  hazard 
placed  upon  the  dice.  There  is  talk  of  ^  making  treason 
odious.'  How  that  result  shall  be  accomplished  is  a 
serious  question ;  but  how  to  make  it  honorable,  I  fear  we 
will  find  an  easy  matter  to  demonstrate.  The  North 
is  simply  a  conqueror ;  and,  if  the  results  she  fought 
for  are  to  be  secured,  she  must  rule  as  a  conqueror. 
Suppose  the  South  had  been  triumphant,  and  had  over- 
whelmed and  determined  to  hold  the  North?  Before 
now,  a  thoroughly-organized  system  of  provisional  gov- 
ernment would  have  been  securely  established.  There 
would  have  been  no  hesitation,  no  subterfuge,  no  pretence 
of  restoration,  because  the  people  of  the  South  are  born 
rulers, — aggressives  w^ho,  having  made  up  their  minds  to 
attain  a  certain  end,  adopt  the  means  most  likely  to  secure 
it.  In  this  the  North  fails.  She  hesitates,  falters, 
shirks."  * 

"Yes,  the  North  hesitates  jnore  than  is  pleasing  to  the 
philanthropic  spirits  of  New  England,  and  their  admirers 
in  other  sections.  She  fears  to  give  herself  up,  in  times 
of  peace,  too  fully  to  the  guidance  of  that  eccentric  spirit 
w^hich,  in  the  past,  w^as  wont  to  declare  the  Constitution, 
written  and  established  by  the  ^  graybeards,'  who,  you 
say,  are  now  ^  mocked,'  to  be  be  an  *  inspired  insti'ument,' 
or  a  ^  covenant  with  hell,'  as  best  suited  its  interests  or 
passions  at  the  time.  The  result  for  which  I,  and  people 
like  me,  fought,  was  a  restoration  of  the  Union,  simply. 

*  From  "  A  Fool's  Errand,"  page  153. 


"the  philosopher  and  the  fly.'^         513 

This  was  claimed  to  be  the  only  object  of  all  parties^  until 
the  highly-excited  passions  of  the  people  made  it  safe  for 
the  fanatics  to  unfold  their  real  designs  by  slow  degrees. 
Had  they  done  this  in  the  beginning,  they  would  have 
been  left  to  fight  their  own  battles,  and,  of  course,  there 
would  have  been  no  war.  The  Confederacy  would  have 
been  fully  established,  and  after  a  time  would  have  pro- 
posed to  form  a  new  Union  with  the  intermeddling 
section  left  out,  and  the  North  would  have  accepted  the 
proposition.*  As  regards  ^  treason,^  it  is  always  odious, 
but  it  would  be  difficult  to  show  that  these  people  have 
been  guilty  of  treason,  except  toward  that  spirit,  and  those 
people,  who  are  ^  scornful  of  ancient  statesmanship,'  and 
who  '  mock  the  graybeards  w^ho  have  been  venerated  as 
sages'  in  the  past.  Such  treason  as  that,  you  will  find  to 
be  a  distinguishing  characteristic  of  all  true  patriots  of 
the  present  day,  and  of  the  days  to  come.  If  the  South 
had  overwhelmed  the  North  she  would  have  received  us, 
had  affiliation  and  union  been  mutually  desired,  with 
open  arms,  as  soon  as  the  North  had  frankly  and  fully 
repudiated  the  heresy  that  the  Government,  the  creature, 
is  superior  to  the  States,  the  creators,  and  can  exercise 
other  powers  than  those  delegated  to  it  by  the  States, 
without  becoming  a  laAv-breaker  and  usurper.  In  that 
event  the  South  would,  doubtless,  have  objected  to  New 
England,  and  would  have  treated  her  as  the  philosopher 
did  the  fly — opened  the  window  and  told  her  to  go,  as 
the  world  was  large  enough  for  both  to  live  apart  and  be 
happy,  according  to  their  very  dissimilar  instincts." 

Farther  conversation  was  cut  short  by  the  sudden  entry 
of  Peter  Dillard,  with  a  startling  announcement. 

*A  suggestion  similar  to  this  was  seriously  discussed  by  the  New 
York  Herald  in  the  Spring  of  1861. 


514  A   HOLY   APPARITION. 

Peter  had  been  laughing  over  the  thought  of  what  a 
supremely  enjoyable  double  joke  the  Nast-y  artist  of  the 
"  Harpies^'  could  have  made,  had  he  possessed  a  sufficient 
refinement  of  prophetic  wit  to  picture  his  stalwart  form 
still  farther  in  the  background,  with  his  four-pound 
hammer  about  to  come  into  violent  contact  with  the  con- 
cave locality  of  the  bump  of  philo-progenitiveness  on  the 
not  very  substantial-looking  skull  of  the  Genius  of  Philan- 
thropy, when  the  door  was  suddenly  thrust  open,  and  a 
tall,  wiry,  wild-eyed  white  man,  possessed,  apparently,  of 
great  physical  strength,  exclaimed,  with  a  dramatic  air 
and  gesture : 

"  Ho  !  thou  sable  disciple  of  Ganymede  !  thou  ebon  son 
of  Nox  and  Erebus,  whose  livery  declareth  thee  a 
screamer  with  the  Bird  of  Freedom,  and  yet  a  brayer  and 
a  howler  with  the  jackasses  and  jackalls  behind  the 
throne,  tell  me  where  squatteth  the  Grand  Mogul  of  the 
Bureau  !" 

"  Sar !"  exclaimed  Peter,  drawing  back  and  gazing  at 
the  intruder  with  open-eyed  amazement,  not  unmixed 
with  a  feeling  of  apprehension,  ^^  Put  it  a  leetle  bit  plainer, 

boss  r' 

"  Angels  and  ministers  of  grace,  defend  us  !  Be  thou 
a  spirit  of  health  or  goblin  damned  ; — bringeth  thou  airs 
from  Bethel  or  blasts  from  hell  ?  Did  thy  soul  take  its 
flight  from  the  halls  of  the  Atheneum,  or  shall  I  speak 
to  thee  as  to  one  in  the  flesh,  and  call  thee — Peter 
Dillard  r 

"  Yes,  boss,  dis  is  me  !"  said  Peter,  sorely  perplexed 
and  somewhat  alarmed  by  the  weird  appearance  and 
unusual  address  and  manner  of  the  stranger,  "  I'se  de 
same  ole  Peter  Dillard,  'live  an'  kickin'  •,  but  you  has  de 
'vantage  of  me." 


"an  eccentric  intruder."  515 

"  He  that  hath  the  advantage,  and  keepeth  it  not,  is  an 
adolescent  idiot !  Do  you  hear  that  Peter  Dillard-in-the- 
flesh  ?  Ah  !  I  could  a  tale  unfold  whose  slighest  word 
would  harrow  up  the  fallow  lands  of  your  nature,  and 
cause  each  particular  kink  of  your  knotted  and  combined 
locks  to  stand  on  end  like  spikes  upon  the  ancient  hackles 
of  Egypt !  But  tell  me  were  lurketh,  or  where  crouch- 
eth  in  his  lair,  the  facile  truckler  to  the  powers  that  be 
whose  mad  antics  before  high  heaven  make  Rome  howl  ? '' 

'^  Yes,  boss ;  I'll  see  de  cap'n  'bout  it ! ''  responded 
Peter,  suddenly  rising  and  going  unbidden  into  the  back 
office. 

"  Mars'  Conrad  an'  cap'n,"  he  said,  addressing  both 
gentlemen  with  some  excitement  of  manner,  ^'  dar's  a 
crazy  Dutchman,  or  some  sort  o'  outlandish  fokes,  in 
tother  room,  says  he's  gwine  to  make  things  howl ! " 

"  Ha  !  here  you  are,"  said  the  stranger,  suddenly  open- 
ing the  door,  which  Peter  had  closed,  and  advancing  to 
the  middle  of  the  room,  "  Which  one  of  you  white- 
faced  men  is  the  agent  of  the  Bureau  for  freedmen,  aban- 
doned lands  and  other  loose  property  ?  I  have  come  to 
look  after  some  abandoned  lauds ;  two  plantations  in  this 
county  abandoned  by  one,  Fred.  Deaderick,  a  philan- 
thropical,  hypocritical.  Puritanical  whelp,  and  now 
claimed  by  Dead  Frederick  who  sprang.  Phoenix-like, 
from  the  bleached  bones  of  the  former,  but  who  roams 
the  earth  a  reformed  Puritan,  and  as  wild  a  rebel  as  ever 
went  crazv  on  the  battle-field  ! " 

"Why,  Mars'  Deaderick,"  said  Peter,  seizing  the 
-stranger's  hand,  and  shaking  it  vigorously,  "  I's  glad  to 
see  you  'live  an'  kickin' — bless  de  Lawd,  I  is !  I  thought 
de  wild  beasts  had  done  picked  your  bones  ! " 

"  So  they  did,  Peter — so  they  did  !     When  your  vitals 


616  A   HOLY   APPARITION. 

were  punched  out  with  a  bayonet,  and  Fox  was  crucified, 
my  brains  were  beaten  out  Avith  muskets.  We  have  come 
back  to  lift  our  arms  again  in  defense  of  the  helpless,  but 
where  is  Fox  ! ''     Is  Stewart  living  ?  ^' 


)y 


"Yes,  sar;  he's- at  ' De  Oaks'  to-day.' 

"  ^  The  Oaks  ! '  Has  it  been  resurrected  too  ?  They 
burnt  up  my  two  places,  and  didn't  even  leave  ashes 
enough  for  a  resurrection.  But  Wheeless  has  built  some 
huts.  Did  either  of  you  white-faced  men,"  he  asked,  sud- 
denly turning  to  the  others,  "  know,  or  even  hear  of,  one 
Fred.  Deaderick  ?  " 

"  I  may  claim  that  honor,"  said  Mr.  Conrad,  arising 
and  offering  his  hand,  "  I  am  Frank  Conrad,  a  friend  to 
Stewart,  and  who  lives  with  him  at  '  The  Oaks.'  I  have 
often  heard  him  speak  of  you." 

"  Then  he  spoke  of  a  canting  Pharisaical  rip,"  said  the 
other,  clasping  the  extended  hand,  "  who  now  as  a  resur- 
rected rebel,  seeks  the  friendship  of  all  true  cavaliers. 
Does  not  Stewart  intend  to  redeem  this  country  ?  Can  a 
Caucasian  live  in  it  much  longer  unless  his  liver  is  as 
w^hite  as  his  face  ?  Is  not  Beelzebub  dethroned,  and  have 
not  his  imps  attacked  this  upper  world  ?  Does  Stewart 
know  that  Wheeless,  the  arch  embodiment  of  treason  to 
all  that  is  dear  to  civilization  and  Christianitv,  the  facile 
imp  of  the  Prince  of  Evil,  is  holding  high  carnival  in 
the  land  ?  Didn't  I  myself  go  to  order  all  interlopers 
off  my  land  and  find  him  there,  the  chief  of  the  inter- 
lopers ;  and  didn't  he  set  his  imps  on  me,  until,  like  Sam- 
son of  old,  I  slew  a  thousand  of  the  vile  Philistines  with 
the  jaw-bone  of  a  broken  wheelbarrow !  Is  this  the 
agent  ? "  he  asked,  turning  to  the  officer. 

"Yes;"  replied  Mr.  Conrad,  "Let  me  introduce  you 
to  my  friend  Captain  Swinton.     The  captain  has  a  diffi- 


"some    VIRGINIA    BUMMERS."  517 

cult  office  to  fill,  but  he  will  do  all  in  his  power  to  keep 
the  country  quiet,  and  to  promote  the  ends  of  justice." 

"Swinton?  Captain  Swinton?"  repeated  the  eccentric 
intruder,  "And  your  name  is  Conrad  and  you  live  at 
^  The  Oaks.'  I  shall  come  to  see  you  and  Stewart  to- 
morrow, and  now  good-bye,  if  you  will  excuse  me  and 
leave  me  with  Swinton.  I  have  business  with  him — 
much  and  serious  business.  Don't  think  me  rude  or  giddy- 
headed.  They  did  accuse  me  of  being  giddy-headed  in 
Virginia,  and  sent  me  to  prison  among  as  jolly  a  lot  of 
bummers  and  deadbeats  as  ever  followed  the  swamp  angel 
bell-wether  from  Atlanta  to  the  sea.  I  thought  the  object 
was  to  get  possession  of  my  cotton  in  New  York.  But 
when  they  turned  me  out  I  went  to  New  York  and  found 
the  cotton  all  right — sold  in  sixty-five  for  eighty-seven 
cenis  per  pound.  Less  than  three  thousand  bales  netted 
more  than  one  million  dollars — think  of  a  cool  million 
all  in  clean  cash  in  the  banks  of  Xew  Orleans  and  New 
York  !  Nothing  light  or  giddy  about  that,  eh  ?  I  want 
to  become  the  largest  cotton  planter  in  the  world.  I  want 
to  run  this  county,  with  the  highest  government  official 
I  can  hire  to  boss  the  niggers  in  the  cotton  fields.  Good- 
bye, Conrad,  I  like  you.  Peter  Dillard,  adieu ;  meet  me 
at  ^  The  Oaks '  plantation  to-morrow.  I  mean  to  give 
you  a  section  of  land — close  the  door  after  you  and  shut 
the  outer  door." 

Mr.  Conrad  yielded  pleasantly  to  the  humor  of  the 
eccentric  man,  and,  after  a  few  minutes  private  con- 
versation with  Captain  Swinton,  he  and  Peter  Dillard 
set  out  on  their  return  home. 

"  INIars'  Conrad,"  said  Peter,  after  he  had  had  a  full 
account  from  that  gentleman  of  the  "vision"  at  Bethel, 
"  I  did  help  to  put  dat  nigger  Colston  out'n  de  way,  an' 


518  A   HOLY   APPARITION. 

I  don't  keep  who  knows  it  now.  Jestis  is  jestis,  an'  I 
sticks  up  to  dem  dat  sticks  up  to  me.  Dat  boy's  pa  done 
me  a  big  favor  once.  It  was  at  his  gate  de  Coclutch  sper- 
rits  d rapped  me  one  night  befo'  de  war — dat  time  I  has 
told  you  'bout — an'  he  couldn't  bin  better  to  me  ef  I  had 
belonged  to  him ;  took  me  in  de  house  an'  gin  me  a  good 
breakfus,  an'  den  put  me  on  his  boss  an'  walked  by  my 
side,  cause  he  didn't  have  but  one  boss,  for  more'n  ten 
miles,  cause  he  said  I  was  too  used  up  to  walk  dat  fur, 
an'  he  gin  me  a  heap  o'  good  edvice,  too,  an'  he  Avas  always 
a  good  fren'  arter  dat.  I  don't  'sider  dat  I  done  an^-thing 
wrong  when  I  helped  to  kill  dat  murderer,  but  I  can't 
tell  who  tothers  was." 

"  And  you  must  not  tell  others  that  you  were  one  of 
the  party,  Peter,"  said  Mr.  Conrad,  seriously.  ^'  If  it 
should  come  to  Captain  Swinton's  knowledge,  he  would 
be  compelled  to  arrest  you  and  have  you  tried  for  murder. 
Althoiigh  you  only  meted  out  justice,  in  the  eyes  of  law, 
both  civil  and  military,  your  party  were  guilty  of  crime. 
Besides,  that  man  Colston  had  friends,  and  you  should 
think  of  the  possibility  of  their  doing  for  their  friend 
what  you  helped  to  do  for  yours.  When  people  take 
the  law  into  their  own  hands,  even  if  they  mete  out 
only  justice,  they  are  likely  to  find  that  they  have  been 
handling  a  two-edged  sword.  You  are  already  suspected 
by  those  who  believe  in  Jerry  Hunt's  ^  visions,'  and  you 
have  infinitely  more  to  fear  from  the  lawless  violence  of 
your  own  race,  than  from  Swinton  and  any  civil  or  mili- 
tary process.  The  merest  travesty  upon  a  court  of  law 
requires  some  evidence,  but  a  S^ision,'  I  fear,  will  be 
deemed  ample  evidence  against  you  by  the  Bethel  mob 
and  their  superstitious  advisers." 

Peter  pondered  over  these  words  for  a  moment,  and 


"amiable  but  defiant." 


519 


then  replied,  "All  right  Mars'  Conrad,  I'll  take  your 
edvice.      Dem  Bethel  fokes  is  tryin'  to  git  above  de  Buro 


'Peace  and  Home." 


an'  I  ^vants  to  keep  peace  wid  all  de  worl'.  But  dey 
mustn't  try  to  put  too  much  on  Peter  Dillard,  an'  den  try 
to  rub  it  in." 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

**  Knights  of  the   Lost  Clan  "  veesus  "  Fellows 
OF  THE  Red-String  Gang." 

"  There^s  naught  so  scwred  with  us  but  may  find 
A  sacrilegious  person" — Johnson's  New  Inn. 

"  A  settled  virtue 
Makes  itself  a  judge,  and,  satisfied  witkin, 
Laughs  at  that  common  enemy,  the  world" 

— Dryden's  Eival  Ladies. 
\ 

"QTEWART/'  said  Mr.  Conrad,  to  that  young  gentle- 

^     man,  when  he  met  him  the  next  morning  after  his 

return  from  a  visit  to  Messrs.  Howard,  Flournoy  and 

others,  with  the  former  of  whom  he  had  spent  the  night. 

"  Who  is  Jerry  Hunt  ?  " 

"  He  is  a  man  whom  we  will  have  to  look  after,'^  replied 
the  young  man;  ^^  do  you  know  he  accuses  several  of  us  of 
murder  ?  " 

"  How  do  you  know  that  ?  ^'  asked  Mr.  Conrad,  with 
some  surprise. 

"  Oh,  you  know  the  Abolitionists  used  to  run  the 
underground  railroad  in  this  country,  and  we've  learnt  the 
trick.  Besides,  their  secret  cabals  called  '  prayer-meetings/ 
d  cetra,  are  not  so  exclusive  and  particular  now  as  they 
were  before  the  war.  Then  we  held  the  teachers  of  incen- 
diarism responsible,  but  now  we  cannot,  and  they  are  less 
cautious.  By  the  by,  HoAvard,  Flournoy  and  other  friends 
will  be  here  to-day,  and  we  desire  to  have  you  join  an 

520 


"organizing  the  ^k.  k.  k/'*  521 

organization  which  we  are  about  to  resurrect  and  endow 
with  a  new  significance/' 

"  What  are  its  objects  ? '' 

"  The  preservation  of  civilization  and  the  protection  of 
life,  person  and  property/' 

"  Tell  me  all  about  it  ?  '' 

"  Let  me  say  first  that  you  are  already  a  member  of  an 
organization  that  is  older  than  the  Christian  religion,  as 
old  as  the  headstone  of  the  corner  in  Solomon's  Temple, 
and  modern  research  leads  us  to  believe  as  old  as  the 
Pyramids  of  Egypt,  if  not  ante-dating  even  the  Tower  of 
Babel.  This  new  organization  has  objects  in  view  somewhat 
similar  to  and  fully  as  worthy  as  those  which  first  actuated 
that.  Being  assured  of  this,  I  desire  to  have  you  receive 
all  that  I  may  say  into  your  safe  keeping  as  a  brother. 
Will  you  so  receive  it  ?  " 

"  I  will." 

"  Thanks.  It  is  our  desire  to  have  every  cool-headed 
and  thoroughly  reliable  man  in  the  land,  w^ho  is  deter- 
mined to  have  peace  and  order  re-established,  to  join  us. 
If,  as  is  undeniably  the  case,  we  are  forced  to  resort  to 
violence  to  protect  life  and  property,  and  intimidate  the 
vicious,  it  is  better  that  we  shall  have  a  powerful  organ- 
ization, governed  by  rigid  laws,  than  to  suffer  each 
individual,  who  shall  be  wronged  or  outraged,  to  redress 
his  own  grievances,  or  have  them  redressed  by  angry 
friends.  The  angry  passion  of  an  outraged  individual,  or 
community,  is  not  the  proper  tribunal  before  which  to 
bring  alleged  offenders  for  trial,  though  at  present  that  is 
the  only  one  to  which  we  can  resort  with  any  hope  of 
having  justice  meted  out.  If  this  shall  continue,  one 
year  will  not  elapse  before  we  shall  have  a  pandemonium 
in  the  South.     Every  act  of  violence,  whether  of  wrong, 

32 


522  "lost  clan"  vs.  "red-string." 

or  in  the  interest  of  justice,  will  lead  to  new  acts  of 
violence,  and  soon  the  land  will  flow  with  blood  ; — every 
man  will  carry  his  life  in  his  hand  and  his  law  in  his 
pistol  pocket.  Justice,  in  order  to  strike  without  the  fear 
of  being  struck  in  return,  must  be  backed  by  the  dignity 
of  lawful  authority,  or  else  must  protect  itself  under  the 
^gis  of  secret  organization.  The  former  we  cannot  have, 
the  latter  we  can." 

"  How  is  this  organization  to  be  worked  and  how  gov- 
erned ?  " 

"  Pretty  much  as  our  army  was  governed  and  worked 
— one  chief  commander  for  each  state,  several  division 
commanders,  and  a  camp  commander  for  each  county, 
with  officers  for  subdivisions  all  the  way  down  to  chiefs 
of  ten.  The  unanimous  vote  of  ten,  sitting  as  a  court, 
with  its  chief  as  judge-advocate,  will  decree  and  execute 
slight  punishments,  but  a  death  sentence  is  to  be  pro- 
nounced only  by  the  regularly  organized  court-martial  of 
a  camp,  and  must  have  the  approval  of  the  division 
commander." 

"  How  is  a  death  sentence  to  be  executed  ?  " 

"  The  chief  commander  will  designate  a  camp  for  that 
duty,  and  the  camp  designated  will  determine  the  time  and 
method  of  execution.  But  in  all  cases  the  method  shall 
be  only  by  hanging  if  possible ;  yet  cases  may  arise  in 
which  that  method  might  be  deemed  impracticable,  and  in 
that  event,  a  three-fourths  vote  of  the  camp  charged  with 
the  duty  may  determine  that  the  culprit  shall  be  shot  to 
death.  But  under  no  circumstances  is  the  death  penalty 
to  be  inflicted  in  any  other  than  one  of  these  two 
methods." 

"  Will  the  accused  have  an  opportunity  to  defend  him- 
self?" 


^^^KU-KLUX'    LAWS."  623 

"  He  will  be  defended  by  an  advocate  appointed  by  the 
chief  commander  of  the  state  or  district,  but  he  will 
never  know  that  he  has  been  tried." 

"  Is  there  not  danger  that  innocent  persons  may  be 
made  to  suffer  ?  " 

"  Not  more,  I  think,  than  in  ordinary  courts.  Unlike 
them,  we  may  keep  a  case  on  trial  a  month  or  a  year,  if 
deemed  necessary,  in  order  to  clear  away  all  doubt ;  and 
the  accused  during  all  this  time  will  be  shadowed  and 
kept  under  the  eye  of  the  court,  so  to  speak,  until  his 
guilt  is  made  clear.  Taking  all  of  the  precautions  and 
restrictions  which  are  to  be  adopted,  into  consideration,  I 
think  there  is  little  or  no  danger  that  any  innocent  man 
will  be  made  to  suffer." 

"  What  are  the  laws  ?  " 

"  The  laws  for  our  own  control  and  government  you 
will  have  in  good  time.  Those  for  the  punishment  of 
crime,  no  matter  by  whom  committed,  are  as  old  as  the 
civilization  of  the  Jews, — '  An  eye  for  an  eye,  and  a  tooth 
for  a  tooth  ; '  and  no  man  is  to  be  deprived  of  life  except 
for  murder  or  a  worse  crime.  In  other  words,  we  shall 
enforce  the  criminal  codes  of  our  state  laws  as  they  were 
when  we  had  states  and  laws." 

"  Will  colored  people  be  admitted  into  the  organiza- 
tion ?  " 

"Under  certain  conditions  and  restrictions,  yes.  In 
forming  a  camp,  fifty  leading  citizens,  on  whose  good  faith 
we  can  certainlv  relv — you  understand  me — and  who  are 
possessed  of  cool  and  clear  heads,  will  be  selected  and 
organized.  But  after  organization  it  will  be  a  penal 
offense  for  any  member  to  solicit  an  individual,  or  even 
to  betray  to  his  wife,  son,  brother  or  other  person,  any 
knowledge  of  the  existence  of  such  an  organization." 


524  "lost  clan"  vs.  "red-string." 

"  How,  then,  will  you  extend  and  enlarge  the  order  ?  " 
"  Fifty  men  in  each  county  will  be  enough  to  inaugumte 
the  good  work,  and  after  its  fruits  shall  have  been  seen 
men  will  naturally  express  their  views  and  sentiments 
freely  ;  and  in  common  conversation  will  make  the  only 
possible  application,  and  at  the  same  time  indicate  their 
worthiness^  or  the  reverse,  to  become  members.  Those 
deemed  to  be  worthy  applicants  will  be  vouched  for,  voted 
for  and  elected,  if  elected,  before  they  have  an  idea  that 
they  know  a  member  of  the  order.  After  election  a  suitable 
pretext  will  be  made  by  some  friend  to  take  the  individ- 
ual to  some  certain  place  after  dark,  and  when  they  arrive 
there   he   will   suddenly  find  himself  in  the  midst  of 

mvsterv."  ' 

"  What  number  of  adverse  votes  will  reject  a  proposed 
member  ?  " 

"  The  vote  must  be  unanimous,  but  if  there  shall  be 
only  one  black  ball  the  case  may  be  reconsidered  on  the 
next  moon." 

"  And  the  punishments  to  be  inflicted  are  not  to  be 
directed  solely  against  the  negro  race  ?  " 

"  They  are  to  be  directed  against  any  perpetrator  of 
wrongful  acts,  be  he  white  or  black,  friend  or  foe, 
ex-President  Davis  or  General  U.  S.  Grant." 

"  Why  did  you  not  couple  Grant's  name  with  Lee's  ?  " 
asked  Mr.  Conrad,  with  a  smile. 

Because,"  replied  the  young  man,  with  a  slight  flush, 
it  is  so  utterly  impossible  to  imagine  that  General  Lee 
could  do  any  act  of  wrong." 

"  My  friend,"  laughed  Mr.  Conrad,  slapping  his  com- 
panion heartily  on  the  shoulder,  "  I  shall  join  your 
organization.  The  former  followers,  and  present  wor- 
shipers  of  Lee,  I   feel   sure,   will   never    be    wittingly 


((      A  -rr/-WTTT^/-X^        T%T7.-CT/-^T~.T-.     ?> 


A   VOUDOO   DEVOTEE."  525 

accessor}^  to  unmanly  acts  of  petty  spite  or  vengeance. 
Now,  answer  my  question  and  tell  me  of  Jerry  Hunt." 

"  He  is  an  old  negro  preacher,  so  called,  who  aids  and 
abets  the  messengers  at  Bethel  and  the  ^  Missionaiy ' 
Wheeless  in  their  secular  and  spiritual  enterprises,  and 
was  formerly  a  slave  to  old  Parson  Elliott  of  blessed 
memory.  In  his  young  days  he  is  said  to  have  been  a 
very  bad  man,  but  the  good  old  parson  converted  him, 
and  thought,  no  doubt,  he  had  added  another  gem  to  his 
crown  when  he  made  him  an  exhorter,  or  kind  of  lay- 
preacher.  His  influence  with  the  colored  people  grew  to  be 
very  great  before  the  war,  but  in  time  he  became  a  prophet 
or  seer — had  strange  visions,  which,  as  they  had  reference 
only  to  neighborhood  gossip,  frequently  made  serious 
trouble  amongst  the  negroes.  After  a  time  he  commenced 
to  blend  the  weird  rites  and  ceremonies  of  Voudooism 
with  the  worship  of  God,  and  was  finally  silenced  and 
forbidden  to  hold  so-called  religious  meetings.  This 
degradation  caused  him  to  lose  his  influence  over  the 
minds  of  the  negroes,  and  only  a  few  months  were 
necessary  to  cause  all  of  his  dupes  to  become  heartily 
ashamed  of  their  half-unconscious  apostacy  from  the  true 
religion.  When  the  Freedman's  Bureau  Agency  was 
established  in  North  Alabama  he  came  to  the  front  again, 
and  noAv  no  bureau  agent  in  the  state  is  half  so  much 
of  an  oracle,  or  autocrat,  with  the  negroes  as  he." 

"  Is  he  a  bad  man  ?  " 

"  Does  that  not  go  without  saying  ?  " 

"  Yes,  but  I  mean  is  he  actively  so.  Is  he  aggressive ; 
can  he  lead  a  mob  ?  " 

"  I  know  but  little  of  him,  except  from  hearsay.  He 
has  begun  to  have  visions  again  as  of  old ;  and  the 
negroes,  as  there  is  now  no  one  to  whom  they  will  listen 


526  "lost  clan''  vs.  " ked-string." 

to  expose  his  hypocrisies  and  rascalities,  believe  in  his 
visions  as  fully  and  unreservedly  as  you  and  I  do  in  the 
teachings  of  revealed  religion,  and  it  is  said  even  the 
"Messengers  of  Peace/'  at  Bethel,  who,  I  presume  must 
be  instructed  at  least  in  the  fundamental  principles  of 
Christianity,  also  believe  in  them,  or  pretend  to  do  so." 

"  I  have  no  doubt,  indeed  I  have  had  positive  proof 
that  they  do  believe  in  them  fully.  But  this  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at.  Fanaticism  and  superstition  naturally 
belong  together.  The  former  is  to  the  latter  what  chiv- 
alry is  to  courage,  its  refined  essence  and  natural  out- 
groA^i:h.  But  this  Jerry  Hunt,  as  you  seem  to  be  aware, 
accuses  you  and  me  and  our  body-guards,  as  Peter  and 
Dick  have  dubbed  themselves,  of  murder.  Can  he 
secretly  work  us  any  hurt  ?  " 

"I  fear  so.  The  Union  League,  Red -String  Gang, 
and  other  secret  oath-bound  organizations,  to  which  no 
known  friend  of  the  white  people — and  no  secret  friend, 
unless  he  chooses  to  commit  perjury  and  jeopardize  his 
life — can  gain  admittance,  give  to  vicious  persons  of  his 
class  almost  unlimited  power  and  opportunities  for  evil. 
The  negroes  are  learning  the  lesson  given  them  very 
rapidly  and  thoroughly,  and  their  minds  are  being  led  to 
that  degree  of  hatred  which  will  make  the  destruction  of 
our  lives  and  property,  and  the  perpetration  of  revolting 
crimes  against  the  person,  seem  to  them  laudable  objects 
of  ambition.  Already  Ave  have  submitted  to  insults, 
jibes  and  taunts  from  the  worst  of  them,  till  forbearance 
has  ceased  to  be  a  virtue,  and  is  construed,  and  taught  to 
be,  cowardice  or  abject  fear  of  the  power  of  the  govern- 
ment as  exercised  by  the  Freedman's  Bureau.  As  to  this 
Jerry  Hunt,  he  hates  us  and  all  Southern  white  men,  and 
he  must  be  made  to  know  that  '  nature's  first  law '  has 


"  THE   TOMB   HAS   OPED   HER   JAWS."  527 

reared  itself  above  the  Freedmau's  Bureau  and  the  Union 
League." 

"  Yes,  it  is  necessary,  but,  more  of  that  anon.  Here 
comes  my  eccentric  acquaintance  of  yesterday — '  Dead 
Frederick,^ — quite  an  oddity." 

As  the  young  man  spoke,  Mr.  Deaderick,  having  alighted 
and  hitched  his  horse,  approached  with  rapid  strides 
up  the  gravel  walk.  Seeing  Mr.  Stewart  at  the  window, 
he  touched  his  hat  and  shouted  :  "  Hello,  my  lord  :  noble 
Earl  of  Monteith — but  a  collateral  kinsman  of  the 
betrayer  of  the  noble  Wallace — I  waft  you  a  glad  greeting. 
*  The  tomb  has  oped  her  ponderous  marble  jaws,'  and 
sent  me  to  fret  again  upon  the  stage  of  life." 

"  Deaderick,  my  dear  fellow,"  said  Mr.  Stewart,  heartily, 
meeting  him  at  the  door  and  warmly  shaking  his  hand, 
"  the  tomb  purges  of  all  dross ;  I  am  delighted  to  welcome 
you  to  Alabama  and  to  my  house." 

"  Not  Deaderick,  sir — how  are  you,  Conrad  ;  come  and 
shake  hands,  old  fellow — No,  not  Deaderick  !  That  cant- 
ing Puritan  had  the  life  beaten  and  kicked  out  of  him  at 
the  Atheneum  some  years  ago  by  his  gentle  and  philan- 
thropic kinsmen,  and  he  arose  from  the  dead  free  from 
the  dross  of  Pharisaism  and  every  other  ^  ism,'  and  now 
stands  before  you  a  purified — not  sanctified,  mark  you — a 
purified  dare-devil  of  a  cavalier.  Oh,  that  Fox,  too, 
would  come  back  from  the  spirit  land  and  admit  me  into 
the  Lost  Clan  of  Cocletz  !  The  harvest  is  plentiful,  but 
the  reapers  are — non  esV^ 

"  Come  in,  old  fellow,  and  give  an  account  of  yourself ; 
I  am  truly  glad  to  see  with  my  own  eyes  that  you  are 
alive  and  well,"  said  Mr.  Stewart,  placing  his  hand  on 
the  new-comer's  shoulder  and  leading  in  the  direction  of 
the  parlor.  ' 


528  "lost  clan"  vs.  "red-string.'* 

"  No,  not  in  there  ! "  exclaimed  the  evidently  excited 
man,  "take  me  into  your  sanctum-sanctorum.  I  am 
mad  with  a  fierce  joy — big  with  an  ungodly  glee  !  Chain 
me  to  some  Promethean  rock,  for  I  have  stolen  fire  from 
the  sulphurous  flames  of  hell.  I  met  Wheeless  an  hour 
ago ;  red  murder  was  in  his  eye,  and  now  his  foul  blood 
soils  my  hands,  while  the  horrified  shriek  of  his  soul  as 
it  sank  into  the  pit  of  impenetrable  blackness  still  rings 
in  my  ears.'' 

"  Calm  yourself,  my  dear  fellow,"  said  Mr.  Stew^art, 
putting  his  arm  soothingly  around  the  now  phrenzied  man 
and  gently  urging  him  toward  a  bed-room  on  the  first 
floor.  "  There  is  no  blood  on  vour  hands,  and  I  feel 
quite  sure  you  have  committed  no  murder." 

"  Murder  !  No  !  The  strangling  of  a  prowling  hyena 
— the  crushing  of  a  hissing  adder  is  no  murder  !  Ah  !  if 
Fox  were  only  here  with  his  lively  spirits  of  the  Lost 
Clan  !  Who  says  that  he  is  dead  ?  Who  saw  him  cruci- 
fied ?  Cannot  he  arise  from  the  dead  ?  Ha !  "  he  added, 
snddenly  springing  from  the  bed  on  which  he  had  thrown 
himself,  "  I  have  an  idea  !  I  will  take  up  his  cross ! 
His  spirit  shall  again  ride  upon  the  Avhirlwind  !  His 
voice,  through  my  lips,  shall  shout  the  Islamic  salutation, 
the  ^  Salaam  Aleickoom ; '  which  benighted  tradition 
expects  to  hear  from  holy  lips  amid  the  cj^ress-crowned 
hills  of  Jerusalem,  over  the  lonely  and  forgotten  graves 
of  the  battle-torn  dead  of  this  laud,  causing  them  to 
spring,  in  fulfillment  of  the  tradition,  ready  armed  and 
equipped,  to  drive  back  the  whelming  tide  of  anarchy  and 
barbarism  !  I  have  more  than  a  million  of  money  in 
New  Orleans,  and  I  shall  go  there  to-night  on  the  eight 
o'clock  train.  I  shall  buy  out  the  Mardi  Gras'  grotesque 
and  fearful   masquerade.     The  resurrected  hosts  which 


"a  ^poetic  and  gorgeous  idea/"  629 

will  respond  to  my  ^  Salaam  Aleickoom '  shall  animate 
the  defunct  shells  of  the  ^  Mystic  Crew ' !  I  shall  be 
their  '  Grand  Cyclops  ^  with  a  patent  elastic  backbone  that 
will  enable  me  to  tower  above  the  forests  and  gaze  with 
my  defiant  orb  into  the  blood-shotten  eyes  of  reckless  and 
defiant  barbarism ! " 

*^  My  eccentric  and  imaginative  friend,"  said  Mr. 
Stewart,  laughingly  pressing  his  visitor  back  upon  the 
bed,  as  he  heard  footsteps  in  the  hall,  ^^  lie  there  and 
con  over  your  poetic  and  gorgeous  idea.  I  have  some 
business  to  attend  to  for  a  short  time,  but  will  return  when 
I  think  you  have  had  a  quiet  nap." 

The  sound  of  footsteps  he  found  to  have  been  made  by 
the  arrival  of  Howard,  Flournoy  and  other  gentlemen  of 
the  country  around.  After  greeting  the  new-comers  and 
carefully  closing  the  parlor  door,  he  was  about  to  draw 
down  the  blinds,  when  Mr.  Conrad  exclaimed :  "  Here 
comes  our  sable  Hercules,  Peter  Dillard.  He  has  an 
appointment  to  meet  our  eccentric  friend,  Deaderick,  here. 
Perhaps,"  he  added,  with  an  inquiring  look  at  Mr. 
Stewart,  "  he  had  better  wait  an  hour  or  so." 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  latter,  throwing  up  the  sash  and 
addressing  his  colored  friend.  "  Good  afternoon,  Peter  ; 
Mr.  Deaderick  is  here,  but  he  is  asleep  just  now  and  can- 
not see  you.  I  shall  have  to  ask  you  to  wait  an  hour  at 
mammy's  house,  where  the  old  woman  will  be  glad  to 
have  you  chat  with  her." 

As  Peter  disappeared  around  the  corner  of  the  house, 
the  sash  and  blinds  were  drawn  down,  and  the  secret  cabal 
was  begun  from  whose  broodings  over  the  dragon's  teeth 
of  misdirected  and  vindictive  philanthropy  were  to  spring 
a  '  hydra  brood '  of  weird  and  eccentric  spirits  whose  mad 
antics  before  the  pale  moon  were  destined  soon  to  convulse 


530  "lost  clan"  vs,  " ked-string." 

a  world  of '  grinning  mad-caps  '  with  laughter  ;  and  later, 
to  phrenzy  the  long-visaged  Pharisaism  temporarily 
predominant  in  one-half  of  the  '  Nation/  with  an 
increased  and  more  unreasoning  thirst  for  vengeance. 

The  consultation  had  continued  about  an  hour,  when 
there  was  a  tapping  at  the  side  window,  and  Mr.  Stewart 
on  going  to  it  was  addressed  by  Peter  Dillard  : 

"  Young  master,  dars  trouble  ahead  !  I  has  just 
heard  dat  dar  was  a  scrimmage  'twixt  Mr.  Deaderick  and 
dat  AVheeless  dis  mawnin',  an'  dat  Mr.  Deaderick  busted 
his  head  an'  lef  him  for  dead  ;  an'  here  comes  a  whole 
gang  of  niggers  wid  dat  sneakin'  Jerry  Hunt  in  de  lead, 
and  I'se  feared  dey's  gwine  to  make  trouble.  De  niggers 
is  gittin'  so  rampageous  now  dat  even  de  '  Buro '  law  is 
too  slow  for  'em." 

"  Oh,  I  guess  there  is  no  danger  of  trouble,  Peter," 
replied  the  young  man,  laughing,  but  looking  anxiously 
down  the  east  road.  "  Mr.  Deaderick  is  under  the  pro- 
tection of  my  roof,  and  you  know  ^  soft  words  save  broken 
bones.' " 

"  Well,  sah,"  replied  the  negro,  "  es  you  aint  oneasy, 
an'  es  it  ain't  none  o'  my  funeral,  an'  es  de  Scripter  says, 
^dem  dat  passes  by  an'  meddle  wid  strife  what  don't 
belong  to  'em,  ketches  a  mad  dog  by  the  years,'  I'll  go 
back  to  mammy's  house.  But  ef  you  wants  me,  all  you 
got  to  do  is  to  fetch  one  holler,  and  Peter  '11  be  dar  ! " 

"  Be  sure  you  don't  come  before  I  '  fetch  one  holler,' 
Peter  ;  but  stay  quietly  with  mammy,"  said  Mr.  Stewart, 
as  the  negro  disappeared  around  the  corner. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  he,  to  his  companions,  after  looking 
out  of  the  front  window  and  seeing  some  fifty  or  sixty 
negroes  passing  through  the  lower  gate  with  something 
like  military  order,    "I  go  alone  to  meet  the  mortals 


"black  avengees  aroused."  531 

whose  material  presence  I  scent  upon  the  air.  Let  no 
phantom  clansman/^  he  added,  with  a  laugh,  as  he  turned 
to  close  the  door,  "  dare  to  reveal  his  immaterial  and 
ghoulish  form  till  I  do  cry  ^  Kuklos  ^  ! " 

"  Good  afternoon,  my  men,''  he  said  to  the  rabble, 
meeting  them  at  the  steps  of  the  portico,  "  what  can  I  do 
for  you  ? '' 

"  You  kin  keep  from  calling  us  '  my  men,' "  responded 
a  stout  negro,  who  appeared  to  be  about  fifty  years  of 
age,  and  wore  a  scowl  on  his  countenance,  "an'  'dress 
us  as  ^  gent'men.'  " 

"  Beg  pardon,  Mr.  Hunt ;  I  stand  corrected.  What 
can  I  do  for  you,  gentlemen  ?  " 

"  We  wants  Fed  Deaderick." 

"  We  wants  de  dam  son  of  a  rebel  hound  you  calls 
Deaderick." 

"We  wants  de  debbil's  whelp  dat  knocked  Mr. 
Wheeless  in  de  head,"  shouted  twenty  voices  from  the 
ranks. 

"  Is  Wheeless  seriouslv  hurt  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Stewart. 

"  Yes.  Mister  Wheeless  is  hurt  bad,  an'  we  didn't 
come  here  to  parlarver  wid  you  nor  nobody  else," 
responded  Jerry  Hunt,  looking  around  for  encouragement. 
"  We  come  arter  Deaderick,  an'  we  means  to  have  him, 
dead  or  'live  ;  an'  you  better  stan'  out'n  de  way  o'  de  law, 
an'  not  be  tryin'  to  put  on  no  gran'  ars  like  you  could  do 
somethin'  big." 

"  I  hope  you  don't  object  to  my  airs,"  said  the  young 
man,  laughing. 

"  What  is  you  more'n  one  man  ? "  asked  the  angry 
negro.  "  We  has  es  much  right  to  put  on  ars  es  you 
has.  We's  es  good  es  you  or  mister  any-body-else.  But 
we  didn't  come  here  to  parlarver  ; — fetch  out  dat  Dead- 


532  "lost  clan"  vs.  " red- string." 

erick,  or  we's  gwine  to  tramp  over  everything  in  de  way  an' 
git  him." 

"  What  right  have  you  to  suppose  Mr.  Deaderick  to  be 
here  ? "  asked  Mr.  Stewart,  with  a  view  of  parleying. 
"  And  if  he  were  here  what  right  have  you  to  demand 
that  I  shall  give  him  up  to  you  ?  " 

"  What  right !  Dat's  good  !  Ain't  we  all  free-borned 
'publican  citizens  of  de  Union  League  of  Ameriky  ?  We 
has  de  right  to  do  anything  dat  'sports  de  law  an'  brings 
jestis  on  de  heads  of " 

"  Look  here,  white  man,"  interrupted  a  burly  fellow 
from  the  ranks,  "  no  lyin'  ain't  gwine  to  save  dat  feller. 
Ain't  yonder  his  hoss  hitched  to  de  rack,  an'  is  we  blin'  ? 
Come,  boys,  do  yer  do " 

"  Yes  ! "  shouted  Jerry  Hunt,  "  come  on  ;  we'se  gwine 
to  have  him  ef  we  has  to  wade  throo'  blood  !  Go  in,  men, 
go  in  ! " 

"Hold,  Jerry  Hunt!"  exclaimed  Mr.  Stewart,  with 
a  steely  light  in  his  eyes.  "  This  is  my  house — my  castle. 
You  may  think  there  is  no  law  in  the  land,  but  you  do 
not  know  what  power  may  lie  in  my  single  right  arm." 

"  Yes,  I  do,"  responded  the  negro,  hotly.  "  I  knows 
all  about  you,  and  I  don't  know  no  good.  I  knows  you's 
de  rebelest  rebel  in  de  countrv  :  an'  dat  you  harbors  mos' 
all  de  mean  niggers  an'  low-down  rebel  cusses  in  de 
land.  I  know  you's  de  feller  dat  'suits  our  skool 
teachers  and  'buses  our  preacher ;  I  know  dat  you  aiged 
Peter  Dillard  an'  tothers  on  to  kill  dat  nigger  soger,  an' 
do  more'n  half  de  devilment  dat  has  bin  done ;  and  I 
knows  dat  your  day  is  comin',  efHaint  already  come,  es  sure 
es  I  knows  dat  we's  gwine  to  swing  Peter  Dillard  at  de 
en'  of  a  rope  befo'  de  nex'  new  moon.  Come  on,  men  ! 
Charge  over  de  rebel  cuss  ef  he  don't " 


"an   infuriated  black   SAMSON."  533 

At  this  instant,  Mr.  Stewart  heard  a  suppressed  roar 
behind  him,  which  sounded  like  the  growl  of  a  hungry 
tiger  to  which  a  piece  of  flesh  had  been  thrown ;  and  turn- 
ing quickly,  he  beheld  Peter  Dillard,  with  glaring  eyes 
and  carrying  an  axe  in  his  hand,  approaching  rapidly 
along  the  hall  on  tip-toe  in  his  stocking  feet,  as  if  all 
unconscious  that  he  Avas  visible  to  the  fifty  or  sixty  pairs 
of  eyes  fixed  on  him  in  startled  amazement.  As  he 
glided  quickly  past  Mr.  Stewart,  the  young  man  seized 
the  axe,  hoping  to  wrest  it  from  the  infuriated  giant ;  but 
it  was  snatched  away  as  from  the  feeble  efforts  of  an 
infant,  and  the  next  moment  a  blow  w4th  the  fist  was  dealt 
Jerry  Hunt,  who  had  advanced  half  way  up  the  steps, 
which  lifted  him  from  his  feet  and  threw  him  back  upon 
the  heads  and  shoulders  of  his  companions  who  were 
crowded  closely  around. 

"  Gwine  to  swing  Peter  Dillard  from  the  en'  of  a  rope, 
is  you  ?  "  he  roared,  as  he  swung  the  axe  around  his  head, 
causing  the  negroes  to  fall  back  so  rapidly  as  to  knock 
down  and  trample  over  each  other  ;  "  You  sneaking  hell- 
hounds— wants  my  blood,  does  you  !  Great  God  !  ef 
tVant  for  leaving  carron  in  de  young  marster's  yard  I'd 
soak  dis  axe  in  a  bushel  o'  brains  ! " 

At  the  moment  that  Mr.  Stewart  attempted  to  gain 
possession  of  the  axe,  the  scuffling  caused  the  gentlemen 
in  the  parlor  to  suppose  that  an  assault  had  been  made, 
and  they  all  suddenly  rushed  upon  the  scene.  Seeing  the 
position  of  affairs,  some  of  them  seized  Peter  Dillard, 
fearing  that  his  passion  might  cause  him  to  shed  blood  ; 
while  others  turned  to  meet  Mr.  Deaderick  as  he  rushed 
from  his  room  with  a  heavy  fire-poker  in  his  hand. 

"  Ho,  my  lords  ! "  he  exclaimed,  wdth  a  mock-tragic  air; 
"  what  loud  alarm  called  me  from  the  land  of  dreams ;  and 


534  "lost  clan"  vs.  "red-string." 

*  Why  stand  you  thus  amazed, 
As  if  you  souls  had  suffered  an  eclipse 
Betwixt  your  judgments  and  your  passions  ? '  " 

Then,  seeing  the  panic-stricken  negroes  crowding 
through  the  gate,  he  added  :  "  What  sought  those  fleeing 
Philistines  ?  " 

"  Dey  come  arter  you,  Mars'  Deaderick/'  shouted  Peter, 
with  a  hoarse  laugh,  "  an'  here  lays  one  of  'em  waitin'  to 
swing  somebody  at  de  en'  of  a  rope  befo'  de  nex  new 
moon.     Ha  !  ha  !  " 

"  Ye  powers  ! "  responded  Deaderick,  with  a  laugh, 
"  have  they  compounded  for  a  lease  of  life  with  hell,  that 
thus  they  '  beard  the  lion  in  his  den '  ? "  "  ^  By  the 
gods,'  "  he  again  quoted,  shaking  his  finger  at  the  van- 
ishing mob,  "  ^  you  shall  digest  the  vemon  of  your  spleen 
though  it  do  split  you ;  for  from  this  day  forth  I'll  use 
you  ^r  my  mirth,  yea,  for  my  laughter,  w^hen  you  are 
waspish.' " 

Two  of  the  gentlemen  took  Jerry  Hunt,  who  was  now 
reviving,  by  the  arms,  and  assisted  him  to  mammy's  house, 
where  the  old  woman  made  him  quite  comfortable  by  the 
use  of  bandages  and  lotions,  and  left  him  to  his  reflec- 
tions. 

An  hour  or  two  later,  after  Mr.  Deaderick  and  Peter 
Dillard  had  left  for  the  station,  doubtless  with  a  view  to 
carrying  out  the  former's  ^  poetic  and  gorgeous  idea,'  and 
the  other  visitor  had  departed,  the  two  masters  of  "  The 
Oaks"  walked  down  to  mammv's  house  to  have  a  serious 
talk  with  Jerry  Hunt,  and  to  oifer  for  his  acceptance  the 
olive  branch  of  peace ;  but  finding  the  door  open  they 
k)oked  in  and  found  that  he  had  quietly  taken  his 
departure.  *  - 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 
A  Grand  Ku-Klux  Outrage. 

"  All  men  have  rights, 
And  powevy  in  all  its  pride,  is  less  than  justice." 

— Hill's  Merope. 

"  The  prince  who 
Neglects  or  violates  his  trust  is  more 
A  brigand  than  the  robber  chief." 

— Byron's  Two  Foscari. 

T17ITHIN  the  next  few  days  after  the  occurrences 
»  »  narrated  in  the  last  chapter,  all  of  the  party,  except- 
ing Mr.  Conrad,  which  had  been  collected  at  "The  Oaks'' 
to  plot  against  the  power  and  dignity  of  unbridled 
license,  had  left  the  country  to  scatter  in  diiferent  direc- 
tions and  bear  the  glad  tidings  of  a  new  hope  of  peace 
and  quiet,  born  of  secrcit  organization,  and  to  work  its 
salvation  through  the  methods  of  barbarism.  It  was 
plainly  seen  that  matters  were  rapidly  drifting  to  that 
point  which  would  make  any  possible  change  one  for  the 
better.  Even  military  occupation  by  Turchin's  villainous 
gang  of  outlaws  would  be  a  relief,  for  they  had  the  sem- 
blance of  authority  exercised  over  them,  and  did  not 
commit  crimes  under  the  belief,  taught  by  "Christian 
women"  and  "gospel  evangelists."  that  they  were  the 
divinely  chosen  avenging  angels  of  God  and  their  country, 
and  that  their  villainous  work  would  entitle  them  to  a 
seat  on  John  Brown's  right-hand,  in  the  regions  of  glory, 

535 


536  A   GRAND   KU-KLUX   OUTRAGE. 

next  to  the  places  reserved  for  William  Lloyd  Grarrison, 
Wendell  Phillips  and  Thaddeus  Stevens. 

While  these  secret  messengers  of  a  true  benevolence 
were  speeding  on  their  errands  of  mercy  and  genuine 
patriotism,  the  neighborhoo'd  round  about "  The  Oaks  ^' 
was  in  a  turmoil  of  excitement.  Numerous  delegations 
were  sent  to  the  Bureau  agency  at  Barrensville,  and  heavy 
pressure  was  brought  to  bear  upon  Captain  Swinton  to 
induce  him  to  send  a  strong  armed  posse  "under  the 
flasr  '^  to  arrest  Peter  Dillard,  and  all  of  the  white  men 
seen  at  "  The  Oaks  "  with  him,  on  the  charge  of  "  resisting 
authority,'^  creating  a  riot,  and  shedding  "  Loyal '^ 
blood.  *  Missionary  Wheeless,  unable  to  go  in  person, 
on  account  of  a  fractured  skull,  sent  letters  charging 
Deaderick  with  treason,  in  that  he  had  invaded  aban- 
doned lands  held  by  himself  under  authority  of  the 
government,  and  had  there,  in  his  own  person,  and  by 
his  own  act  of  commission,  waged  flagrant  war,  and  shed 
loyal  blood,  and  charging  all  the  party  at  "The  Oaks" 
with  insurrection  and  general  lawlessness.  The  "  Mes- 
sengers of  Peace,"  at  Bethel,  also  exerted  their  influence. 
They  wrote  a  characteristic  letter  charging,  upon  the 
authority  of  Jerry  Hunt's  visions  generally,  and  a  new 
and  startling  one  in  particular,  and  upon  circumstances 
which  they  deemed  corroborative  of  this  last  vision,  that 
the  party  at  "  The  Oaks  "  was  assembled  for  the  purpose 
of  organizing  a  new  rebellion,  destroying  the  govern- 
ment of  the  United  States,  and  enslaving  all  who  dared 
oppose  them ;  and  beseeching  him,  by  his  hopes  of  free- 

*  The  expressions  "  Loyalty  "  and  "  Loyal  blood  "  became  so  fash- 
ionable among  the  negroes,  later  on,  as  to  become  vulgar ;  and  the 
leaders,  to  separate  themselves  somewhat  from  the  common  herd, 
corrupted  them  slightly  into  "  Royalty  "and  "  Royal  blood." 


"a  conservative  bureau  agent."         537 

dom  for  all  the  human  family  here^  and  by  the  farther 
hope  of  a  crown  of  glory  for  himself  hereafter^  to  visit 
the  smft  and  sure  vengeance  of  '*  the  best  government 
the  world  ever  saw'^  upon  these  reckless,  riotous  and 
defiant  violators  of  the  laws  of  God  and  his  chosen 
people. 

There  is  no  telliuo;  what  mioht  have  been  the  result 
of  these  appeals  if  only  the  Harpies'  allegorically-pictured 
prophecy  had  been  fulfilled,  and  Andy  Johnson's  head  had 
fallen  into  the  waste-basket.  But  as  it  was,  Captain 
Swinton  did  not  enthuse.  Indeed,  he  so  far  forgot  "  the 
power  behind  the  throne,"  which  secured  his  appointment, 
and  the  plain  duties  of  his  position,  as  set  forth  by  that 
power,  that  he  intimated,  in  interviews  given  to  the 
various  delegations,  that  the  "truly  loyal"  might  not 
always,  and  under  all  circumstances,  be  spotless  and 
blameless ;  insulted  God's  own  anointed  by  intimating 
that  they  would  be  expected  to  back  their  charges  and 
assertions  by  proof ;  and  even  had  the  hardihood  to  ask, 
respectfully,  what  right  Jerry  Hunt  had  to  march  a  force  to 
"  The  Oaks  "  without  the  consent  of  the  owners  ;  as  if 
Jerry  Hunt  were  not  a  "  free  'publican  citizen  of  de 
Union  League  of  America." 

So  instead  of  ordering  squads  of  soldiers  to  bring  in  the 
alleged  offenders — in  case  they  had  disregarded  his  written 
order  to  appear — as  he  had  formerly  done,  he  mounted 
his  horse,  and,  accompanied  by  an  orderly,  visited 
all  the  parties  concerned,  including  Mr.  Conrad.  After 
several  hours  conversation  with  the  latter,  the  officer 
returned  to  Barrensville,  and  on  the  next  day  issued 
"  Special  Order  No.  37,"  stating,  in  substance,  that  the 
colored  people,  "  the  wards  of  the  nation,"  possessed  no 
rights  or  privileges   that  w^ere    not   also  vouchsafed  to 

33 


538      '  A   GKAND   KU-KLUX   OUTRAGE. 

the  white  people,  the  former  rebels ;  and  that  all  were 
forbidden  to  undertake  to  retaliate  upon  persons  whom 
they  might  believe  to  be  guilty  of  committing  lawless 
acts,  or  even  to  undertake  to  arrest  such  persons,  except 
when  called  on  by  proper  authority  to  do  so.  It  also 
forbade  any  person  to  enter  the  premises  of  another  in 
violation  of  the  wishes  or  commands  of  the  owner  or 
proprietor,  whether  white  or  black,  under  pain  of  being 
rigorously  dealt  with ;  and  closed  with  the  warning 
that  such  trespass  as  had  been  committed  at  ^'  The  Oaks," 
"perhaps  under  the  advice  or  instigation  of  unworty 
representatives  of  the  loyal  North  " — would  be  considered 
and  dealt  with  as  wilful  riot  or  insurrection. 

It  is  impossible  to  conceive  how  this  mild  and  rea- 
sonable order  could  have  caused  the  howl  of  anger 
which  resounded  through  the  land  from  the  negroes 
and  carpet-baggers,  male  and  female.  Wasn't  this  put- 
ting them,  in  plain  words,  down  on  a  level  with  the 
rebels ;  and  didn't  it  give  the  rebels  tlie  advantage  of 
themselves,  inasmuch  as  the  former  owned  nearly  all 
the  land,  and  therefore  could  not  become  trespassers? 
Didn't  it  prove  that  Captain  Swinton  had  been  bought 
up  by  the  rebels,  and  wasn't  it  necessary  now  that 
they  should  take  matters  into  their  own  hands,  more 
than  ever,  for  their  own  good  and  for  the  confusion  of 
the  rebels  ?  An  indignation  meeting  was  held  at  Bethel ; 
fiery  and  incendiery  speeclies  were  made,  and  Captain 
Swinton  denounced  as  a  traitor  and  rebel-sympathiser. 
Wheeless  foamed  and  raged  with  fury,  and  the  piping 
voices  of  the  lank  ^'  messengers  of  a  matchless  benevo- 
lence "  were  raised  in  devout  imprecations,  while  a  few 
of  the  more  ignorant  female  negroes,  mistaking  the 
fury  for  religious  zeal  went  oif  into  devotional  hysterics, 


"the  ^ truly  loyal'  greatly  excited/'  539 

or,  in  common  parlance,  "  shouted/'  *  The  "  Christian 
Martyr/'  Wheeless,  was  appointed  to  open  a  correspon- 
dence with  the  *^  Christian  Soldier  and  Statesman,"  General 
Howard,  and  the  messengers  assumed  the  task  of  writing 
to  the  Rt.  Rev.  Gilbert  Haven,  and  other  bishops  and 
clergy  of  New  England,  to  bring  the  power  of  the  Church 
to  bear  for  the  removal  of  Swinton  and  the  appointment 
of  the  "  Rev.  ex-Captain  (of  a  brigade  sutlery)  Charles 
L.  Wheeless,"  to  the  position. 

New  companies  Avere  formed  at  the  meeting,  in  addition 
to  the  fcAV  already  disturbing  the  country,  who  spent  the 
days  in  marching  with  drum  and  fife  from  plantation  to 
plantation,  beating  up  recruits  and  foraging  by  night  raids 
upon  chicken-roosts  and  pig-pens.  The  few  negroes  still 
at  work  became  sullen  and  discontented,  and  it  was  whis- 
pered that  a  regiment  had  been  formed,  with  Jerry  Hunt 
as  colonel,  for  what  special  purpose  no  one  seemed  to 
know,  and  that  every  negro  was  ordered  to  join  the 
Union  League,  under  penalty  of  being  considered  a 
rebel-sympathizer,  and  dealt  with  accordingly.  What 
this  latter  meant,  if  anything,  no  "  rebel-sympathizer " 
could  find  out. 

Of  course,  there  was  great  apprehension  felt  by  the 
white  people.  They  knew  that  they  were  entirely  at  the 
mercy  of  those  who  directed  the  negroes ;  that  they  were 
utterly  powerless  to  protect  their  wives  and  children 
should  it  become  necessary,  as  then  seemed  certain  they 
would  have  to  do,  sooner  or  later ;  for  if  only  half  a 
dozen  of  themselves  should  dare  to  form  a  line  and  march 
to  the  tap  of  a  drum,  they  would  be  set  upon  by  the 
available  military  force  of  the  government  as  the  would- 
be  organizers  of  a  new  rebellion,  and  outlaws  of  the  most 

*  This  is  a  fact  which  the  writer  has  witnessed  more  than  once. 


540  A   GKAND   KU-KLUX   OUTRAGE. 

dangerous  type.  Who  will  ever  give  a  correct  idea  of 
the  slow  torture  of  dread  which  the  white  people  of  the 
South  suffered  at  that  time,  and  from  that  time  forward 
for  years — a  greater  or  less  number  of  years  according  to 
locality — Avhen  the  mind  was  kept  in  one  continual  strain 
of  apprehension ;  when,  day  by  day,  dazed  and  almost 
demented  husbands  and  fathers  gazed  into  the  hollow 
eyes  of  loved  ones,  whom  they  feared  to  leave,  and 
hushed  the  thoughtless  prattle  of  children,  as  if  death  had 
been  in  the  house  ?  Oh,  miserable  period  !  Oh,  fearful 
anarchy  !  A  violated  constitution — inoperative  laws — a 
perjured  Congress — a  prostituted  press — a  degraded  pub- 
^  lie  sentiment — a  low  thirst  for  vengeance — a  prejudiced 
and  unprincipled  soldiery,  composed  chiefly  of  negroes 
with  a  few  whites  of  the  lower  class,  sufficient,  in 
numbers,  for  spies  and  informers,  but  wholly  inade- 
quate for  protection,  if  willing  to  protect ;  and  hosts 
of  rabid  religionists  and  crazy  fanatics  from  the  slums 
of  New  England,  like  swarms  of  locusts  from  the  realms 
of  pestilence,  poisoning  the  minds  and  hearts  of  four  mil- 
lions of  ignorant  and  credulous  creatures ;  and  changing 
them,  by  the  most  wicked  and  diabolical  tricks  of  com- 
bined falsehood  and  sophistry,  from  devoted  friends  to 
the  most  furious  enemies.  Oh,  terrible  nightmare  of 
dread  !  * 

AYhatever  may  have  been  the  object  in  the  formation  of 
a  battalion,  the  services  of  non-commissioned  officers,  from 
the  negro  troops  in  the  country,  were  procured  for  the 

*  The  writer  can  say,  with  truth,  that  during  the  years  1866—7  there 
was  hardly  a  day  in  which  he  did  not  feel  that  he  might  be  forced  to 
'    defend  his  person  or  family,  or  resent  gross  insult,  and  his  apprehen- 
sions were  not  always  disappointed.     Matters  were  but  little  better  up 
to  1869,  when  he  left  the  cotton  belt  as  a  place  of  residence. 


"only  a  few  overt  Acrrs."  541 

purpose  of  instruction,  and  it  is  likely,  if  the  negroes  had 
only  been  half  so  savage  as  those  of  the  Caucasian  blood 
who  were  instigating  them,  or  had  they  not  been  restrained 
by  an  innate  fear  of  the  consequences  of  goading  the 
white  people  to  acts  of  desperation,  the  country  would 
have  been  startled  by  some  fearful  act  of  lawlessness 
before  the  promoters  of  secret  organization  could  have 
returned  to  put  its  machinery  in  motion  for  the  benefit  of 
their  friends  and  families. 

As  it  was,  excepting  the  boisterous  and  insulting  man- 
ner and  speech  which  had  become  usual  with  that  class  of 
negroes,  there  was  no  visible  effect  of  all  the  commotion 
but  the  burning  of  Peter  Dillard's  shop,  with  the  tools  of 
his  trade,  and  the  killing  of  his  mule,  which  was  in  a  lot 
adjoining  his  cabin.  The  killing  was  done  by  two  men 
only,  whom  Dillard's  wife  professed  to  have  recognized. 

Mr.  Stewart  was  the  first  of  the  absentees  to  return, 
as  his  trip  had  been  only  to  Montgomery,  the  capital  of 
the  State.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  day  of  his  return,  he 
and  Mr.  Conrad  were  sitting  in  the  shade  of  one  of  the 
the  oaks  in  the  yard,  seriously  discussing  the  gloomy  out- 
look for  the  country,  when  they  were  suddenly  a  little 
startled  by  the  address  of  Peter  Dillard,  who  had  come 
up  behind  them  from  the  direction  of  mammy's  house. 
After  the  usual  sulutations,  and  a  brief  but  amusing 
account  from  Peter  of  his  trip  to  the  great  city,  he  said : 

"  I  has  come  to  see  what's  to  be  done  'bout  de  burnin' 
an'  killin'  an'  plunderin'  dat  has  been  goin'  on.  Mars' 
Deaderick  is  done  put  a  heap  o'  knowledge  into  my  head, 
an'  he  sont  me  to  prove  it  by  you.  Mars'  Chvarles.  He's 
stoppin'  at  my  ole  mistises — you  know  he  wanted  to 
spark  my  young  miss  befo'  de  war,  but  she  was  too  young, 
an'  I  do  believe  he's  stuck  agin' — well,  he  says  de  reason 


542  A  GRAND   KU-KLUX  OUTRAGE. 

we  didn't  see  de  Coclutch  sperrets  endurin'  o'  de  war,  was 
'cause  dey  went  to  de  war,  an'  some  of  'em  has  done  got 
back,  and  dat  dey  ain't  no  sperrets  no  more  den  me  and 
you — leastways  some  of  'em  ain't — an'  he  wants  to  start 
'em  up  agin,  an'  for  me  an'  him  to  jine  'em  an'  cut  up 
didos  an'  sich.  I  knows  who  done  all  de  damage,  an'  ef 
dar  is  sich  a  thing  es  gittin'  in  wid  dem  Coclutches,  we 
wants  to  jine  'em  an'  hit  dem  niggers  wid  a  streak  o' 
greased  litenin'." 

^'  Deucaleon  drifted  to  Parnassas,  did  he  not  ?  "  asked 
Mr.  Stewart,  with  a  peculiar  smile,  turning  to  Mr. 
Conrad. 

"  Yes  ;  in  a  southerly  direction,"  replied  Mr.  Conrad. 

"  And  when  the  Avater  subsided  he  cast  stones  behind 
him  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  two  by  two." 

"  Exactly  !  But  what  was  it,  Peter  ? "  asked  Mr. 
Stewart,  turning  to  the  negro.  "  Oh  !  you  want  to  join 
the  '  Coclutches ; '  well,  do  you  know  where  you  and  Dick 
cut  that  bee-tree  last  month  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir ;  in  de  bottom  here  beyan'  de  buckeye 
bushes." 

^'  Exactly.  Well,  it's  possible  that  I  may  be  able  to 
help  you,  if  you'll  meet  me  at  that  tree  to-morrow  night, 
when  the  moon  is  one  hour  high." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  me  an'  Mr.  Deaderick  '11  be  dar  ef  it  skeers 
me  tell  my  har  stands  up  like  dem  hackles  Mars'  Deade- 
rick told  about,  in  de  ole  country." 

About  a  week  after  Mr.  Stewart's  return,  it  was  ascer- 
tained, through  spies,  that  there  was  to  be  a  general  meet- 
ing of  organized  bands  at  Bethel  camp-ground ;  a  night 
meeting,  the  object  of  which  was  believed  to  be  instruc- 
tion in  battalion  drill  only.     For  several  days  before  the 


^^A   COLORED    BRAN-DANCE."  543 

time  appointed  for  the  star-light  exercise  and  amusement, 
Mr.  Stewart  and  other  leading  "rebels,"  had  been  actively 
riding  over  the  country,  getting  signatures  to  a  petition  to 
the  President  to  keep  Captain  Swinton  in  his  present  posi- 
tion. It  was  noticed,  by  those  who  were  observant,  that 
those  who  were  engaged  in  this  work  were  unusually 
placid  and  amiable,  and  full  of  joy  and  laughter,  perhaps 
on  account  of  high  hopes  of  the  success  of  their  under- 
taking. They  even  carried  this  feeling  to  the  extent  of 
providing  a  novel  entertainment  for  their  colored  friends, 
a  star-light  barbecue,  with  music  and  all  usual  accompani- 
ments, to  be  presided  over  by  Dick  and  his  wife — nee 
Miss  Jane  Dillard.  This  barbecue  was  to  come  off  on 
the  same  night  appointed  for  the  battalion  drill,  of  which, 
of  course,  the  white  people — the  real  white  people — were 
supposed  to  know  nothing ;  and  all  the  colored  signers  to 
the  petition  in  favor  of  Captain  Swinton,  and  all  other 
colored  friends  of  peace  and  order,  were  invited  to  come, 
eat,  drink  and  be  merry. 

When  the  appointed  night  arrived  Dick  and  Jane  were 
happy,  for  all  the  young  women  in  the  country  around 
were  there,  and  also  some  thirty  or  more  of  the  most 
respectable  negro  men.  Large  bonfires  were  kindled 
upon  stands  made  of  slabs  and  covered  with  earth,  accord- 
ing to  the  usual  plantation  method  of  lighting  an  open- 
air  night  festival,  by  the  light  of  which  the  votaries  of  the 
the  light-footed  goddess  danced  to  the  music  of  two  banjos 
and  a  violin  on  a  space  where  the  earth  had  been  scraped 
and  beaten  down,  and  covered  with  bran,  so  as  to  supply 
the  place  of  a  platform.  This  covering  of  "  bran,"  or  the 
offal  from  the  grist  of  corn,  is  w^hat  gave  the  name  "bran- 
dance"  to  such  festivals  in  the  South.  The  INIessrs. 
Stewart  and  Conrad,  and  several  other  gentlemen  who  ha  1 


544  A   GRAXD   KU-KLUX   OUTRAGE. 

assisted  Dick  and  his  aids  in  all  preparations,  saw  the 
festivities  fairly  under  way  and  took  leave  with  the  usual 
injuction  to  the  men,  to  remember  their  ^^  plantation 
manners,"  and  abstain  from  excesses. 

While  these  festive  scenes  w^ere  being  enacted  on  "  The 
Oaks  "  plantation,  scenes  quite  different  were  taking  place 
at  Bethel.  Large  fires,  like  those  at  the  barbecue,  lighted 
the  grounds  for  several  acres  around  ;  in  the  house  were 
heard  the  occasionally  alternating  voices  of  song  and 
prayer,  while  in  the  lighted  space  in  front  were  perhaps 
four  hundred  negroes,  marching  and  counter-marching, 
forming  column  by  companies,  forming  line  of  battle, 
advancing,  charging,  falling  back  and  retreating ;  while 
half  a  dozen  drums,  and  an  asthmatic  fife,  kept  up  a  con- 
tinual din,  interrupted  occasionally  by  the  peremptory 
blast  of  a  bugle,  or  the  angry  shouts  and  oaths  of  the  drill- 
master,  who  was  trying  to  teach  the  mob  to  perform 
evolutions  according  to  the  proper  bugle  calls,  and  whose 
sense  of  military  propriety  was  sorely  vexed  by  the  shout- 
ing, laughing  and  whooping  of  the  frolicsome  raw  material, 
the  majority  of  whom  were  evidently  making  a  joke  of 
the  whole  affair.  As  the  night  waxed  late,  and  the  fires 
burnt  low,  the  spirit  of  hilarity  and  inattention  to  the 
duties  of  the  hour  seemed  to  increase,  and  to  cause  a  corres- 
ponding increase  in  the  wrath  and  profanity  of  the  drill- 
master  and  his  company  officers.  "  Keep  de  line,  d — n  you ! 
Hold  back  dar,  before  !  Pyearten  up,  you  hindermost 
fellers  !  Joe  Roberts,  hold  your  jaw  !  Sam  Jones,  stop 
dat  yellin'  !  Who's  dat  mockin'  a  screech-owl  ?  Ike 
Walton,  you's  nuff  of  a  mule  now,  \lout  trying  to  bray  ! 
Who's  dat  flappiu'  an'  crowin',  an'  tryin'  to  mock  a  game 
rooster ! "  These,  and  a  thousand  similar  exclamations 
were  mingled  with  the  military  commands  of  the  bugle, 


"a  disorderly  battalion."  545 

and  the  bedlam  of  noises  from  the  ranks.  "  You'd  better 
ax  who's  dat  tryin'  to  mock  a  pack  o'  hounds  cross  de 
creek  dar  in  de  Perkins'  bottom  ! "  exclaimed  a  voice  in 
response  to  the  last  exclamation.  This  remark  called  the 
attention  of  many  to  the  fact  that  a  large  pack  of  hounds 
were  in  full  cry,  less  than  half  a  mile  away,  in  the  dense 
forest  that  extended  from  the  "  Salem  Hole  " — a  long 
narrow  lakelet  formed  by  the  creek,  and  so  named  by 
the  fishermen, — to  the  Perkins'  ford,  more  than  a  mile 
above. 

"You  ^tend  to  your  business,  Pat  Collyer,  an'  de 
hounds  will  'tend  to  dar'n.  Close  up  dar ! '^  shouted 
one  of  the  officers,  in  reply  to  the  allusion  to  the 
hounds. 

"'  Yes,'^  shouted  Pat  Collier,  having  first  given  a  mim- 
icking yell  of  affi-ight,  "  an'  dey  might  'tend  to  yourn  too, 
Zack  Bullard,  es  dey  did  once  befo'  ef  dey  should  hap- 
pen to  be  ole  Mister  Cuclutches.  Oh-lordy-oh-ah-ee- 
oop  ! " 

This  mimicking  exclamation  caused  a  roar  of  laughter 
from  end  to  end  of  the  line,  as  it  called  to  mind  Bullard's 
great  fright,  before  the  war,  at  the  old  Cocletz  gin-house, 
where  he  had  lost  an  eye  in  his  flight  through  the  under- 
brush, which  he  solemnly  declared,  and  believed,  had 
been  destroyed  by  the  claw  of  one  of  the  spirits. 

"  Order  in  de  rank ! "  commanded  a  stern  voice. 
"  Who's  a'  feard  o'  dogs  or  sperits,  either,  for  dat  matter ! 
All  dem  things  is  done  played  out  like  everything 
else." 

"  But  dey  put  lightnin'  in  Kurnell  Jerry's  heels  once, 
an'  I  'spect  dey  could  do  it  agin,  ef  dey  was  to  come 
pirootin  'round  !  Yah  !  yah  !  "  responded  the  irrepres- 
sible '  rooster '  mocker. 


546  A  GRAND   KU-KLUX  OUTRAGE. 

*^  Hold  your  jaw,  nigger,  an'  listen  at  de  drill-master 
talk  ! " 

This  command,  given  in  the  voice  of  the  one  spoken  to 
as  "  Kurnel  Jerry/'  was  obeyed,  for  a  majority  of  the 
negroes  had  observed  that  the  hounds  had  arrived  on  the 
opposite  margin  of  the  Salem  Hole,  and  were  running 
up  and  down  in  full  and  eager  cry,  but  in  evident  con- 
fusion. 

"  Men,"  called  the  drill-master,  "  now  pay  'tention  to 
de  bugle.  De  fust  call  will  be  to  charge,  an'  de  next  will 
be  to  retreat.  We'll  charge  dem  hounds,  an'  I  wants  you 
to  fall  back  in  good  order." 

"  No  !  Don't  you  do  it !  We  can't  cross  dat  hole  ! 
It's  ten  foot  deep  !  You  let  dem  liouns  'lone  if  dey'U  let 
you  'lone  !  Dey  might  charge  too,  an'  den  what  ? " 
shouted  fifty  voices,  amid  a  general  acclaim  of  dis- 
sent. 

"  Order,  men  ! "  commanded  the  drill-master.  ^^  Ef 
you  can't  charge  a  pack  o'  yelpin'  hounds,  how  does  you 
speck  to " 

The  harangue  was  cut  short  by  a  stentorian  cry  from 
the  opposite  side  of  the  creek,  a  cry  or  command,  so 
strong  and  loud  as  to  give  the  impression  that  it  might 
have  come  from  the  lungs  of  a  steam-boiler,  and  been 
spoken  through  the  brazen  throat  of  a  bassoon,  "  Atten- 
tion, Battalion  ! " 

The  sound  reverberated  through  the  woods,  seeming  to 
rustle  the  leaves  on  the  trees,  and  to  rattle  the  rough 
boards  upon  the  meeting-house.  The  voice  of  song  in 
the  latter  was  instantly  paralyzed,  and  consternation  and 
panic  seemed  about  to  disband  the  battalion.  As  the  line 
fell  into  confusion,  various  angry  shouts  of  command  or 
remonstrance  were  heard. 


"  Maiiii  Gras "  gJt)tesqHe  and  learfiil  Masquerade." 


"panic-stricken  soldiers."  549 

"  Keep  in  line,  men  !  Didn't  you  never  hear  of  a 
speakin'  trumpet  befo' !  Is  you  'feard  of  a  braying  mule  ! 
Is  you  gwine  to  let  some  rebel  fool  of  a  fox-hunter  skeer 
you  to  death  !"  etc.,  etc. 

The  re-forming  of  the  line  was  in  progress  when  again 
the  strong  voice  came  across  the  narrow  channel  : 

"  It  is  the  command  of  the  Grand  Cyclops  of  the  Lost 
Clan  of  Cocletz,  that  all  those  who  have  given  their  souls 
to  his  prince,  the  great  Voudoo,  master  of  the  petty 
prince  Beelzebub,  do  now  come  forward  for  immediate 
baptism  !"    {See  Frontispiece.) 

As  the  voice  spoke  a  vast  cloud  of  blue  and  luminous 
vapor  arose  out  of  the  darkness,  and  intense  rays  of 
trembling  blue  light  shot  up  to  the  tree-tops,  enamelling 
and  glittering  upon  leaf  and  bough,  and  revealing,  in  its 
weird  brightness,  the  most  grotesque  and  horrible  assembly 
ever  revealed  to  mortal  gaze.  Huge  beasts,  fiends  and 
crawling  things  of  the  most  eccentric  and  preposterous 
forms  and  proportions,  with  wagging  tails,  restless  claws, 
and  fiery  eyes,  lined  the  bank,  while  in  the  midst  of  all 
stood  a  giant,  with  one  glaring  eye  in  the  centre  of  his 
forehead,  and  who,  as  he  spoke,  grew  rapidly  taller,  till 
he  stood  fifteen  or  more  feet  in  height,  and  stretched  his 
long  neck  over  the  black  water,  upon  which  waves  of  flame 
had  begun  to  roll,  as  if  in  anxious  expectancy  of  candi- 
dates for  baptism  in  the  sulphurous  tide. 

PaniG-stricken  f  Language  cannot  express  the  terror  that 
seized  the  hearts  of  the  poor  negroes.  The  occupants  of  the 
church,  too,  urgently  spurred  by  fright  to  seek  the  doors, 
made  their  exits  from  the  windows  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  house,  without  regard  to  precedence  on  account  of  age, 
race,  color,  sex  or  "previous  conditions  of  servitude," 
while  the  battalion,  in  their  mad  haste  to  put  additional 


550  A   GRAND   KU   KLUX   OUTRAGE. 

space  betewen  themselves  and  the  spirits  of  evil,  rushed 
over  stumps,  through  picket-enclosed  grave-lots,  and  out 
like  a  tidal  wave  upon  the  gradual  ascent  of  the  field 
beyond.  If  any  in  the  flight  fell  to  the  ground,  they 
ignored  that  physical  and  usually  delaying  fact,  but  con- 
tinued to  move  forward  rapidly,  till,  by  the  exercise  of 
some  mysteriously  inspired  effort  of  agility,  they  found 
themselves  on  their  feet  again.  The  bravest  individual 
present  was  the  drill-master,  a  stout,  fine-looking  mulatto 
soldier  from  Barrensville,  in  a  sergeant's  uniform,  who,  as 
he  saw  the  first  fleecy  veil  of  blue  mist,  put  the  bugle  to 
his  lips  and  sounded  the  call  to  charge,  which  he  con- 
tinued to  blow  lustily  till  the  bright  light  revealed  the 
Cyclopian  giant,  and  he  saw  him  spring  ten  feet  taller  at 
a  single  bound.  Then  the  gallant  call  to  charge  ended 
suddenly  in  a  sound  that  resembled  what  one  might 
suppose  would  be  the  expiring  bleat  of  a  dying  hip- 
popotamus, and  the  bugler  sprang  off  in  wild  pursuit  of 
his  fleeing  associates,  with  the  determination  that  if  "  the 
devil  took  the  hindmost  '^  he  would  not  be  that  individual, 
unless  his  legs  had  forgotten  their  old  cunning. 

In  the  field  a  new  terror  awaited  the  fugitives. 
Scarcely  had  they  made  half  the  ascent  of  the  gentle 
slope  before  a  shrill  bugle  call  was  heard  from  the  timber 
which  skirted  its  top,  and  instantly  fifty  or  more  horsemen, 
all  as  black  as  the  shadows  from  which  they  had  emerged, 
dashed  into  the  light  of  the  waning  moon,  and  bore  down 
on  the  mob,  gradually  separating  and  forming  a  longer 
line  as  they  approached  their  prey,  who  turned  and  fled 
in  a  new  direction  shrieking  with  terror.  Suddenlv  the 
cry  "  liTi^Hos  .' '^  was  heard  on  the  left  of  the  pursuing 
column,  and  instantly  a  dozen  or  more  riders  reined  their 
horses  together  and  dashed  after  an  individual  who  seemed 


"in  the  clutches  of  evil  spirits."        551 

to  have  been  singled  out  from  the  others.  In  a  few 
moments  he  was  ov^ertaken,  overcome,  bound  and  gagged, 
and  lay  panting  on  the  ground,  while  his  masked  captors 
stood  in  profound  silence  around.  The  other  horsemen 
dashed  on,  overtaking  and  passing  many  who  instantly 
changed  again  the  direction  of  their  flight,  until,  in  the 
distance,  the  cabalistic  cry  was  again  heard  and  soon  all 
the  other  portion  of  the  party  came  up,  bringing  another 
panting  prisoner. 

As  the  two  men,  half  dead  from  fright,  were 
started  off  in  a  northerly  direction,  one  behind  the 
other  on  horseback,  with  a  guard  on  each  side,  and  the 
balance  of  their  black  and  mysterious  captors  riding  in  a 
profoundly  silent  line  in  the  rear,  one  who  seemed  to  be 
a  leader  spoke : 

"Brother  Night  Hawk  of  the  Right,  since  these,  our 
fellow  subjects  of  the  Great  Spirit  of  Evil,  have  dared  to 
disobey  the  order  of  the  Grand  Cyclops,  in  which  their 
associates  joined,  it  is  my  order  that  you  set  free  the  Fire 
Fiend,  that  he  may  destroy  their  Tabernacle." 

In  a  moment  a  rushing  sound  was  heard,  and  some- 
thing that  seemed  to  the  blood-shotten  eyes  and  mystery- 
weary  brains  of  the  negroes,  like  a  flying  serpent  with 
the  tail  of  a  comet,  mounted  into  the  air,  and  ascending 
at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees,  bore  in .  the  direction 
of  Bethel  church.  ^\lien  apparently  directly  over  the 
building  the  sound  of  a  slight  explosion  was  heard,  and  a 
white  star  commenced  to  descend  slowly  to  the  earth,  chang- 
ing in  color,  as  it  made  its  uncertain  and  apparently  reluctant 
descent,  to  yellow,  then  green,  and  finally  to  a  bood  red, 
in  which  color  it  slowly  disappeared  among  the  trees  of 
the  grove. 

As  neither  of  the  negroes  had  ever  seen  fire- works. 


552  A  GRAND   KU-KLUX   OUTRAGE. 

and  of  course  had  never  dreamed  of  a  Lost  Pleiad  rocket, 
they  regarded  this  exhibition  as  showing  the  power  of 
their  captors  over  the  very  heavens  themselves,  and  as 
they  could  not,  on  account  of  being  gagged,  "  shriek  out 
their  affright,^'  they  groaned  aloud  in  an  ecstacy  of  terror. 

Twenty  minutes  later,  when  the  party  halted  in  a 
thicket  of  timber  on  an  eminence  that  commanded  a  view 
of  all  the  surrounding  country,  and  tied  their  prisoners  to 
trees,  the  latter,  on  looking  in  the  direction  of  Bethel,  saw 
flames  slowly  creeping  up  the  rough  sides  of  the  rustic 
building,  and  taking  hold  on  the  warped  boards  of  the 
roof. 

Having  been  divested  of  their  upper  clothing,  the 
leader  addressed  them : 

"  Jerry  Hunt  and  Zack  Bullard  you  are  vile  offenders 
against  our  mutual  sovereign,  the  Prince  of  Evil,  in  that 
you  have  wrought  much  mischief  and  plotted  much  more 
against  two  of  his  favorite  subjects,  Peter  Dillard  and 
Frederick  Deaderick,  and  as  this  night  you  have  refused 
his  baptism  of  fire  and  brimstone,  it  is  his  decree  that 
you  receive  the  baptism  of  blood  as  a  paritial  atonement 
for  past  offenses.     Ghouls,  do  your  duty  ! " 

After  the  usual  "  nine  and  thirty "  stripes  had  been 
administered,  the  unfortunate  offenders  were  again 
addressed : 

"  Wayward  mortals,  hark  !  Our  sovereign  King,  the 
Prince  of  all  that  is  dark  and  damnable,  the  chief  ruler 
of  all  the  Spirits  of  Evil  in  all  the  universe,  will  not 
brook  to  have  his  loyal  Ghouls,  the  rebels,  attacked  or  hurt 
in  person  or  in  property.  AYheeless  and  the  hand-maidens 
at  Bethel  have  done  our  cause  good  service  in  the  past, 
but  they  have  plotted  to  work  evil  to  our  better  servitors, 
the  rebels,  whose  good  work  has  sent  many  fat  and  oily 


"favorites  of  the  evil  spirits." 


653 


subjects  to  the  thirsty  fires  of  our  kingdom,  while  yet 
the  full  allotment  of  their  time  was  not  fulfilled.  You, 
and  those  who  have  acted  with  you,  are  but  our  good 
recruiting  officers,  while  these,  our  princely  rebels,  discount 
time  with  royal  usury,  and  send  forward  your  recruits 
while  fresh  and  luscious  in  the  heyday  of  their  crimes, 
and  wait  not  for  the  prating  priest  to  spoil  the  flavor  of 
the  offering.  Woe!  AYoe  !  !  WOE  !  !  !  to  you  and  to 
Wheeless,  and  to  any  who  shall  dare  to  shed  or  incite  to 
the  shedding  of  one  drop  of  the  blood  of  these  our  royal 
rebels.     Remember .' " 

"  Remember  !  !  "  repeated  in  unison  the  voices  of  the 
waiting  ghouls,  and  from  the  depths  of  the  surrounding 
darkness  came  in  thunder-tones  the  reverberating  echo 
"REMEMBER!  !  !" 


In  Full  Retreat. 


CHAPTEE  XXXiy. 
Teeeible  Mystery  Pervades  all  Nature. 

"  With  holds  the  upper  air  was  stirred^ 
And  groans  from  sunken  graves  were  heard." 

— E.  S.  Gregory's  Lenore. 

'*  Still  as  he  fled  his  eyes  were  backward  cast, 
As  if  his  fear  still  follow'd  him  behind." 

— Spexcer's  Fairy  Queen. 

A  VOLUME  would  not  be  sufficient  to  give  one-half 
the  marvelous  accounts  which  became  circulated  of 
the  aiFair  at  Bethel  Church,  culminating  in  the  burning 
of  that  desecrated  building.  The  liberal  seeding  of  mys- 
tery brought  forth  more  than  a  thousand  fold.  The  vivid 
imaginations  of  the  negroes  ran  riot,  and  yet,  in  relating 
the  occurrences,  it  seemed  to  them  their  fancies  were  numb 
and  sluggish,  and  wholly  inadequate  to  the  task  of  doing 
justice  to  the  subject ;  but  when  they  undertook  to  rise  to 
the  full  height  of  the  sublime  terror,  ah  !  then  imagina- 
tion, like  "  vaulting  ambition,'^ 

"  O'er-leaped  itgelf 
And  fell  on  t'other  side." 

It  was  asserted  by  many  that  a  "  shooting  star  ^'  had 
fired  the  church,  but  Hunt  and  Bullard  gave  a  peremptory 
quietus  to  that  story  by  solemnly  declaring  they  had  seen 
a  fiery  serpent  fly  up  to  the  firmament  and  tear  out  a  star 
which  it  threw  down  upon  the  devoted  building.  The 
former  professed  to  have  recognized  in  the  Grand  Cyclops, 
554 


"a  whip  of  scorpions."  555 

the  materialized  presence  of  the  Great  Spirit  of  Voiidoo, 
and  declared  that  he  gloried  in  the  stripes  he  had  received 
in  accordance  with  his  orders ;  for,  he  affirmed,  they  were 
administered  with  a  whip  of  scorpions,  and  this  was  a 
token  that  they  were  given  as  a  full  punishment,  and 
worked  a  full  atonement,  for  all  his  past  sins  against  the 
vengeful  god  of  his  fathers.  Bullard  tried  to  rise  to  the 
height  of  Jerry  Hunt^s  enthusiasm.  He  expatiated  on 
the  Fiery  Serpent,  assented  to  the  ^^  whip  of  scorpions^' 
theory,  but  failed  utterly  when  he  tried  to  bring  himself 
to  feel  sanctimonious  over  the  punishment,  whether  inflicted 
by  Voudoo  or  the  Devil. 

As  regarded  the  Grand  Cyclops,  he  had  shown  to  the 
horrified  eyes  of  the  negroes,  a  settled  determination  to 
grow  to  immense  proportions,  and  their  imaginations  kept 
up  the  gro^\i:li  till  his  head  almost  reached  the  clouds,  and 
he  could  hardly  stoop  low  enough  to  hide  in  a  forest  as  a 
man  might  in  a  field  of  cotton.  And  his  terrible  Court 
and  the  black  hosts  of  Spirts  !  Ah  !  imagination  could 
only  lie  down  and  kick  up  its  heels  in  impotent  phrenzy. 
The  whole  face  of  nature  had  undergone  an  entire  change. 
The  sun,  moon  and  stars,  the  daylight,  the  darkness, 
the  whispering  breezes,  the  singing  of  birds,  the  low- 
ing of  cattle,  the  braying  of  mules,  the  cry  of  night- 
prowling  beasts  and  birds,  had  all  assumed  to  them  a  new 
and  strange  significance ;  for  what  might  they  not  be  in 
reality,  or  what  startling  metamorphoses  might  they  not 
undergo  in  a  moment  of  time?  The  plain  evidences  of 
their  senses  were  no  longer  trustworthy,  for  mystery 
brooded  over  the  land  and  all-surrounding  terror  seemed 
to  fill  the  universe. 

It  was  ascertained  in  a  short  time  that  Wheeless  had 

lost   his  disciples,   and  the   messengers'   occupation  was 

34 


556      TEERIBLE   MYSTERY   PERVADES   ALL   NATURE. 

gone.  In  vain  did  tliey  account  for  all  the  seeming  mys- 
tery of  that  terrible  night ;  in  vain  did  they  reason,  argue, 
cajole  or  abuse ;  the  negroes  had  but  one  reply:  ''We  has 
done  seed  wid  our  eyes,  an'  has  done  heard  wid  our  years." 
No  more  uncompensated  labor  was  to  be  done  for 
Wheeless,  and  no  more  ten-cent-laden  darkies  were  to  go 
to  drink  at  the  Pierian  fount  that  welled  up  from  John 
Brown's  peripatetic  soul. 

A  call  for  a  general  meeting  of  the  colored  people  of 
the  country  to  devise  ways  and  means  to  rebuild  the 
church,  resulted  in  the  attendance  of  only  Jerry  Hunt 
and  two  others,  and  these  refused  to  have  anything  to  do 
with  the  matter,  unless  the  new  building  might  also  be 
used  for  the  performance  of  the  ceremonies  and  sacrificial 
rites  necessary  to  appease  the  vengeful  spirit  and  allay 
the  terrible  wrath  of  the  Great  Youdoo.  The  messen- 
gers, having  no  reason  to  hope  that  their  bishops  or  other 
clergy  would  uphold  them  in  this  novel  alliance  or  part- 
nership, respectfully  declined  it,  and  in  a  few  weeks, 
"  folded  their  tents  like  the  Arabs,"  and  quietly  sought  a 
more  southern  latitude  in  which,  as  yet,  the  whelming  tide 
of  barbarism  had  received  no  check. 

It  is  useless  to  speak  of  the  letters  written  North  by 
Wheeless  and  the  messengers,  and  of  the  accounts  which 
went  out  in  every  direction  of  the  singular  affair,  or  to 
tell  of  the  laughter  and  applause  from  one-half — presuma- 
bly the  "  ungodly  "  half — of  the  Northern  press,  and  the 
long  fierce  columns  of  blood  and  cannon  balls,  fire-brands 
and  arsenic,  fired  from  the  truly  sanctimonious  press  at 
the  uncivilized  and  bloody  ^'Ku-Klux,"  who  quietly 
smoked  his  red-clay  pipe  and  laughed  with  one  and  at  the 
other. 

Wheeless  being  now  regarded  as  a  recruiting  officer  of 


"civilization  resumes  sway."  557 

the  spirit  of  evil,  and  having  lost,  in  consequence,  his 
influence  over  all  but  the  most  hopelessly  vicious — which 
class  in  the  neighborhood  embraced  only  Jerry  Hunt  and 
two  others — and  the  "  messengers  of  a  matchless  benevo- 
lence "  being  out  of  the  way,  order  and  civilization  again 
assumed  sway  in  the  country,  and  a  majority  of  the  roving 
negroes  settled  down  to  such  work  as  could  be  found  at 
that  late  period  of  the  season,  when  it  was  no  longer  pos- 
sible to  save  the  crops  which  their  negligence  had 
destroyed,  mth  a  more  or  less  listless  effort  to  provide 
honest  livelihoods  for  themselves  and  their  families.  The 
Grand  Cyclops  shrank  to  his  normal  proportions,  and 
though  the  blast  of  his  horn  and  the  cry  of  his  hounds 
were  often  heard  in  the  dead  hours  of  night ;  and  though- 
the  spirits  of  his  clan,  sometimes  in  black,  but  oftener  now 
in  habiliments  of  sno^vy  whiteness,  could  be  seen  to  flit 
across  the  moon-lit  fields  now  and  then,  it  was  rarely  the 
case,  even  during  the  yet  more  terrible  throes  of  "  recon- 
struction "  and  "  rehabilitation  " — of  putting  "  the  bottom 
rail  on  top  "  and  endeavoring  to  pin  it  there  with  bayonets, 
or  bind  it  there  with  anti-Ku-Klux  laws — that  there  was 
other  work  to  be  done  than  the  sending  of  a  squad,  or  of 
an  individual  spirit,  now  and  then,  to  intercept  and  pun- 
ish— ^generally  by  a  new  impuls^of  terror  only — the  mid- 
night despoiler  of  some  white  or  colored  neighbor's  hen- 
roost or  pig-stye. 

The  church  at  Bethel  was  rebuilt  in  good  time, — Peter 
and  Dick  having  insisted  on  first  sowing  a  full  sack  of 
salt  over  the  ground, — and  a  devoted  colored  member 
of  the  Methodist  Church  South,  was  installed  and  paid 
by  contributions  from  white  and  black  alike,  and 
again  the  simple,  soul-saving  faith  of  good  old  parson 
Elliot  was  taught.     The  former  teachings  of  Religionism, 


558      TERRIBLE   MYSTERY   PERVADES   ALL   NATURE. 

which  ~  had  proved  itself  hardly  superior  to  Youdooism, 
were  covered  with  a  veil  of  silent  charity,  and  the  true 
believers  were  instructed  in  the  duties  of  Christian  love 
and  charity  toward  all  mankind,  and  taught  to  look  into 
their  own  hearts,  instead  of  into  those  of  their  neighbors, 
for  the  vile  sins  and  evil  passions  which  are  offensive  to 
the  great  Ruler  of  the  universe,  and  are  anathematized  by 
His  holy  laws. 

It  should  not  be  denied  that  outrages,  or  rather,  acts 
of  violence  that  were  not  fully  justified  by  the  crimes 
committed,  were  perepetrated  here  and  there,  by  mobs 
of  persons  styled  "  Ku-Klux  Klans,"  acting  under  sudden 
impulses  of  outraged  feeling ;  nor  can  it  be  denied  by  the 
luell  informed,  that  these,  when  they  greatly  exceeded  the 
bounds  of  a  proper  punishment  for  the  crime  committed, 
were  called  to  account  by  the  "  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Circle,'^  the  "  Knights  of  the  White  Camelia,'^  the  "Angels 
of  Avenging  Justice,^^  the  "  Spirits  of  the  Lost  Clan,'^  or 
the  "  Centaurs  of  Caucasian  Civilization.^^  The  reader  can 
have  his  choice  of  names.*     Nor  can  it  be  successfully 

*  The  writer  Avill  mention  a  few  cases  in  point,  for  the  entire  truth- 
fahiess  of  which  he  vouches :  A  train  of  ten  or  a  dozen  wagons  came 
some  thirty  or  forty  miles  into  a  certain  little  town,  to  barter  bacon, 
tar  and  hides  for  dry  goods,  ^he  train  left  the  village  in  the  early 
afternoon  to  return  home,  and  some  six  or  eight  miles  out  stopped  at 
a  plantation,  where  there  were  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty 
negroes  and  no  white  people,  to  procure  forage  for  their  teams. 
There  had  been  a  heavy  shower  of  rain,  and  while  the  bartering  for 
forage  was  in  progress  a  young  man,  who  had  a  six-shooter,  stepped 
out  one  side  to  see  if  it  would  fire.  One  chamber  fired  and  a 
young  mulatto  girl,  who  happened  to  be  passing  near,  was  very  much 
startled.  Drawing  a  light  shawl,  which  was  around  her  shouldei-s, 
over  her  head,  she  ran  screaming  into  an  adjacent  cabin  with  the 
exclamation :  "  Dat  white  man  shot  his  gun  right  at  my  head  ! "  A 
$talwart  young  buck,  who  was  probably  her  lover,  rushed  out  of  the 


"what   'the   order  ^   DID.'^  559 

denied  that  ''The  Order '^  did  more  to  prevent  horrible 
crimes  and  to  tide  the  civilization  of  the  negroes  over  the 
fearful  period  of.  anarchy  referred  to,  than  could  have 
been  done  by  the  Freedman's  Bureau  and  all  the  troops, — 
or  twice  the  number, — stationed  in  the  South,  even  had 
all  the  officials  been  wise  men  and  true  Christians  and 

cabin  and,  despite  the  joung  man's  protestations  of  innocence  of  any 
design  to  injure  or  even  to  alarm  any  one,  he  was  knocked  down  and 
cruelly  beaten  and  kicked.  This,  of  course,  created  a  great  commotion, 
and  the  girl  who  had  caused  it,  undesignedly  no  doubt,  finding  herself 
suddenly  a  heroine,  solemnly  declared  that  the  pistol  was  levelled  at 
her  head,  and  that  the  ball  grazed  her  cheek.  In  a  few  moments  the 
fury  of  the  mob  which  collected  reached  a  white  heat.  They  bore 
the  young  man  off  with  the  avowed  determination  to  burn  him  alive, 
and  his  companions,  in  the  confusion,  quickly  mounted  their  teams 
and  drove  rapidly  away.  Two  miles  from  the  plantation  they  drove 
their  wagons  into  a  dense  forest  for  concealment,  and  then,  mounting 
their  fleetest  horses,  dashed  homeward  to  get  the  aid  and  assistance  of 
the  young  man's  family,  and  of  his  and  their  own  friends.  Within  a 
couple  of  hours,  however,  of  the  first  occurrence,  a  spy, — and  there  were 
very  few  plantations  that  had  not  one  or  more  of  these  among  the 
negroes, — arrived  at  the  little  town,  and  within  thirty  minutes,  a  squad 
of  thirty-odd  men,  of  "The  Order,"  but  undisguised,  left  for  the  rescue, 
with  the  understanding  that  the  Grand  Cyclops  and  his  clan  were  to 
follow.  They  found  the  grounds  lighted  up  as  if  for  a  festival,  the  young 
man  tied  to  a  tree  and  being  tortured  in  a  most  barbarous  fashion  by  the 
spitting  of  tobacco  juice  into  his  mouth  and  eyes,  and  by  pinching  him 
with  hot  blacksmith  tongs,  while  many  of  the  women,  and  a  few  of 
the  older  men  were  earnestly  protesting  against  the  perpetration  of 
these  barbarities.  Before  midnight  all  the  offenders,  who  could  be 
captured,  were  properly  jDunished,  and  the  punishers  had  left  the 
plantation.  But  before  twelve  o'clock  of  the  next  day  a  large  mob  of 
infuriated  men,  friends  of  the  outraged  young  man,  dashed  suddenly 
upon  the  i^lantation  and  commenced  a  general  attack.  The  chief 
instigator  of  the  outrages  was  mortally  wounded,  the  girl  who  caused 
them  was  painfully  shot  in  the  face,  and  the  balance,  who,  in  the 
meantime,  had  escaped  to  the  woods,  were  being  hunted  like  wild 
animals,  when  again  the  *'  wild  marauders  "  of  law  and  order  appeared 
upon  the  scene  and  brought  peace  to  the  innocent,  and  punishment  to 


560      TERRIBLE   I^IYSTERY   PERVADES   ALL   NATURE. 

patriots,  which  was  very,  very  far  from  being  the  case, 
as  all  Fools  who  did  errands  have  testified  and  can 
testify. 

The  writer  has  now  nothing  more  to  say  concerning 
the  so-called  "Ku-Klux  Klans,"  but  he  claims  that  the 
mere  fact  that  the  country, — particularly  the  cotton  and 

the  guilty.  The  myrderer  was  never  punished,  for  a  proper  investi- 
gation into  the  affair  would  have  given  the  military  officials  an 
opportunity  to  investigate  the  investigators. 

Again,  in  the  same  section,  a  young  negro  man  left  his  plow  in  the  field, 
and  went  to  the  premises  of  his  employer,  after  the  latter  had  left  the 
plantation,  and  attempted,  without  the  exercise  of  any  very  great 
violence,  to  commit  an  outrage.  He  absconded  as  soon  as  his  attempts 
were  frustrj^d,  but  in  a  few  days  was  captured  by  a  squad  of  "The 
Order,!'  from  wIkjui  he  was  taken  by  a  mob  of  armed  and  disguised 
men,  and  Mhged  to  a  tree  on  the  road-side. 

And  still  again,  in  the  same  section,  a  lady  rode  over  to  see  a  sick 
neighbor,  who  lived  within  a  mile,  one  afternoon,  leaving,  on  her 
return,  a  little  before  sunset.  She  failed  to  reach  home,  and  days  and 
weeks  were  spent  in  fruitless  search  for  her,  or  for  any  trace  of  herself  or 
horse.  Finally,  a  huntsman  found  a  skeleton,  in  an  uninhabited  barren 
region.ten  miles  away  from  her  home,  which  was  afterward  indenti- 
fied  as  hers.  The  spot  had  evidently  been  a  camping  place,  as  there 
was  a  brush  arbor,  a  cooking  place,  and  bones  of  pigs  as  well  as 
broken  bottles  scattered  around ;  and  the  lady  had  evidently  been  a 
prisonei;  for  her  skeleton  ankles  were  still  chained  together ;  also  it 
was  ec^Uy  evident  that  she  had  been  murdered,  for  within  a  few  feet 
of  i^|P^racked  skull  lay  a  rough  pine  knot  to  which  some  of  the  hair 
of  her  head  still  adhered.  A  certain  young  negro  man  was  suspected 
of  the  horrible  crime,  because  the  negroes,  who  had  assisted  in  the  search, 
affirmed  that  he  was  on  the  place  at  the  time  of  the  lady's  visit,  and  that 
he  left  before  she  did,  and  had  not  been  seen  since.  Enquiry  was  put  on 
foot,  but  the  whereabouts  of  the  young  man  could  not  be  ascertained. 
It  was  only  known  that  he  had  suddenly  disappeared  and  from  the 
ken  of  his  kindred  and  friends.  Finally,  however,  some  time  after  the 
discovery  of  the  skeleton,  he  was  captured  by  a  squad  of  "The 
Order "  in  a  neighboring  state,  and  was  returned  to  the  scene  of  his 
supposed  crimes.  There  were  not  twenty  white  men  in  all  the  neigh- 
borhood, but  that  night  a  mob  of  over  one  hundred  infuriated  men 


a: 


"a  peedictiox."  561 

sugar  belts — from  the  Chesapeake  to  the  Eio  Grande, 
was  not  drenched  in  the  blood  of  riots  and  assassinations 
during  the  period  of  reconstruction  and  rehabilitation, 
proves  the  Southern  white  people  to  be  possessed  of  a  civil- 
ization having  certain  qualities  of  excellence  which,  no 
matter  what  may  be  the  brilliant  destiny  of  the  leading 
human  races  in  the  future,  can  never  be  surpassed  while 
man  shall  continue  to  be  frail  and  fallible.  And  he  here 
records  the  prediction  that  the  time  Avill  come  when  the 
candid  and  unj)rejudiced  historian,  who  has  thoroughly 
informed  himself  respecting  the  period  extending  from 
1859  to  1884,  as  he  glances  sadly  back  at  the  wrongs  and 
outrages  of  the  past,  while  through  his  memory  shall  echo 
the  beautiful  lines  addressed  by  one  of  England's  great 

took  the  poor  wretch  from  the  hands  of  those  who  held  him  a  pris- 
oner— and  who  would  have  investigated  his  plea  of  innocence  as  fairly 
as  was  possible  under  existing  circumstances — and  burnt  him  alive, 
after  he  had  made  a  full  confession  of  his  guilt,  in  a  heap  of  pine 
knots — which  could  be  gathered  in  great  abundance  anywhere  in  the 
forests  of  that  section — piled  around  a  tree  to  which  he  had  been 
chained.  But  they  first  committed  barbarities  upon  his  person  too 
horrible  to  mention.  It  was  afterward  ascertained,  the  writer  is 
glad  to  be  able  to  add,  that  not  one  white  man  was  concerned 
in  the  barbarous  execution.  The  great  exasperation  of  the 
negroes  was  attributable,  beside  their  natural  horror  at  such 
crimes,  to  the  well-known  amiability  and  kindness  of  the  lady,  and 
the  popularity  of  her  husband,  who  often  befriended  the  poor  of 
both  races.  , 

These  occurrances  were,  in  their  due  order,  heralded  North  as 
horrible  Ku-Klux  outrages,  and  added  a  mite  each  toward  the  self- 
justification  of  the  truly  sanctimonious  who  had  fired  the  Northern 
heart  against  their  Southern  brethren.  But  let  it  be  known,  to  the 
honor  of  the  negro  race,  that  no  such  outrages  were  perpetrated  by 
them  until  after  the  close  of  the  war,  and  the  Puritan  "  philanthro- 
pists "  had  assumed  the  task  of  attenting  to  their  moral  training,  and 
instructing  them  concerning  their  social  and  religious  duties. 


562      TERRIBLE   MYSTERY   PERVADES   ALL   NATURE. 

poets  to  the  greatest  and  purest  soldier  ever  produced  by 
America — 

"  Thy  Troy  is  fallen,  thy  dear  land 
Is  marred  beneath  the  spoiler's  heel. 
I  cannot  trust  my  trembling  hand 
To  write  the  things  I  feel. 

Ah,  realm  of  tombs  !  but  let  her  bear 

This  blazon  to  the  last  of  times : 
No  nation  rose  so  -white  and  fair, 

Or  fell  so  pure  of  crimes, — 

will  gently  whisper  to  the  invisible  guardian  spirit  at  his 
side  :  ^^  Ah,  noble  people !  As  political  brethren,  they  were 
generous,  magnanimous  and  forgiving ;  as  military  foes, 
they  were  chivalrous  and  brilliant ;  but  under  the  num- 
berless wrongs  and  persecutions  which  succeeded  their 
downfall  they  were  sublime  ! 


}}> 


Rest. 


CHAPTER  XXXY. 

Across  the  Water. 

"  We  give  all  we  have  to  buy  a  chain." 

— Crown's  English  Feiab. 

"  In  thine  arms 
She  smiles,  appearing,  as  in  truth  she  is, 
Heaven-horn^ — Cowper's  Task. 

ON  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day  after  the  occurrences  at 
Bethel^  when  Dick  came  with  the  mail,  Mr.  Stewart 
was  delighted  to  find  a  long-looked-for  letter  ft'om  Mar- 
ienne,  but  its  perusal  filled  him  with  the  deepest  appre- 
hension. He  immediately  sent  a  runner  fi^r  Mr.  Conrad, 
who  had  ridden  out  into  the  fields,  and  despatched  Dick 
to  seek  Mr.  Deaderick  at  the  Widow  Dillard's,  and  bring 
him  to  ^'  The  Oaks.''  When  Mr.  Conrad  arrived,  the 
two  gentlemen  jvent  into  the  parlor,  and  ^Ir.  Stewart  read 
aloud  the  portion  of  the  letter  which  gave  him  such  great 
concern,  and  which  ran  as  follows  : 

"  I  wrote  you  twice  during  Mrs.  Hansel's  last  illness, 
but  I  now  have  good  cause  to  believe  that  neither  of  those 
letters  ever  left  the  continent.  This  will  be  mailed  by 
my  own  hands.  In  the  first  of  those  letters  I  told  you 
of  my  half-sister's  death,  which  leaves  me  in  deep  distress, 
and  in  the  other  I  spoke  of  the  death  of  a  distant  relative, 
w^hich  makes  my  Cousin  Cesare — the  gentleman  whom 
you  compelled  to  '  bow  before  a  foe  for  the  first  and  only 
time  in  his  life,'  he  laugliingly  declares,  at  Williamsburj» 

563 


564  ACROSS   THE   WATER. 

— heir  at  law  to  a  large  estate,  and  the  old  family  title. 
His  absence  on  bnsiness  connected  with  his  inheritance 
gives  me  great  concern  just  at  this  time,  for  I  have  given 
him,  in  my  affections  and  confidence,  the  place  formerly 
occupied  by  my  poor  brother,  and  his  advice  has  been  my 
sure  and  safe  guide  in  all  things.  But  my  present  trouble 
is  one  in  which  you,  perha2:)s,  are  the  only  person  who  can 
bring  sure  and  permanent  relief.  Although  Mrs.  Hansel 
has  been  dead  less  than  a  week,  Dr.  Hansel  and  Colonel 
Stouo;htoji  had  arranwd  between  themselves,  and  without 
consulting  ^liss  Seymour,  to  take  her  to  Germany  to-day. 
I  fully  believe  they  have  spent  the  greater  part  of  her 
fortune,  and  have  formed  a  plot  to  coerce  her  into  a  mar- 
riai>:e  with  the  latter  before  her  mind  fully  recovers  from 
the  shock  of  her  mother's  death.  Fortunately,  she  has 
been  occupying  a  room  in  my  apartments,  at  my  earnest 
request,  and  I  was  consequently  a  witness  of  the  scene 
when  they  came  to  require  her  immediate  departure.  The 
darling  girl  has  yielded  so  long  on  her  poor  mother's  account 
to  every  demand,  excepting  only  the  supreme  one,  that  I 
had  betrun  to  doubt  her  ability  when  the  final  struff^le 
should  come,  as  I  kuew  it  would,  sooner  or  later,  afler 
her  mother's  death,  to  speak  the  proper  words  and  senti- 
ments to  these  plotters  against  her  happiness.  But  when 
they  spoke  of  coinpelUng  her  departure  she  ascended  to  a 
height  of  proud  dignity  and  haughty  defiance  which  gave 
me  a  new  revelation  of,  and  admiration  for,  her  character. 
This  evening  my  femme  de  chamhre  informed  me  that  her 
brother,  a  former  valet  to  Colonel  Stoughton,  gave  her 
-  the  information  that  Dr.  Hansel  has  been  industriously 
whispering,  half  confidentially,  to  his  acquaintances,  who 
are,  many  of  them,  not  of  the  better  class,  that  IMiss 
Seymour  has  become  demented  in  consequence  of  grief 


"news  from  afar."  565 

for  her  mother\s  death.  Can  it  be  that  this  is  the  first  step 
in  a  deep  and  fearful  game  ?  Alas  !  I  do  not  know  what 
authority  the  laws  here  may  give  this  unnatural  guardian 
over  his  dead  wife's  child  ;  but  I  fear  the  worst,  and  have 
made  a  solemn  vow  that  I  shall  cling  to  the  poor  friend- 
less darling  as  Ruth  did  to  Xaomi,  and  that  even  the 
strong  hand  of  the  law  shall  not  separate  us.  So  you  see 
there  is  a  likelihood  that  I  may  be  brought  into 
serious  trouble,  and  as  there  is  now  nothing  of  conse- 
quence to  detain  me  in  this  giddy,  delightful  city ;  and 
as  I  still  wear  "  the  shackles,''  Mr.  Lincoln's  Proclama- 
tion having  failed,  in  my  behalf,  as  signally  as  did  your 
'  Kabal  Gavaelu,'  I  claim  the  right,  which,  in  the  past,  I 
exercised  without  hesitation,  to  call  on  you  for  aid  and 
protection,  and  I  ask  you  to  come,  immediately,  if  possi- 
ble, and  take  me — and  my  friend — from  the  dangers 
which  surround  us  and  threaten  dire  evils." 

"AYeir?"  inquired  Mr.  Conrad,  as  the  reading 
ceased. 

"  I  shall  leave  for  New  York  to-night ! "  exclaimed 
Mr.  Stewart,  springing  to  his  feet  and  pacing  the  floor 
rapidly.  "  Think  what  might  happen,  if  the  laws  of  that 
country  give  the  old  hypocrite  any  authority  over  his 
dead  wife's  child  ! " 

"  And  I  shall  go  with  you ! "  exclaimed  Mr.  Conrad, 
taking  his  friend's  arm  and  walking  by  his  side,  "  But, 
no  !  I  forget.  It  cannot  be.  Our  funds  will  barely  be 
sufficient,  if  sufficient,  for  your  trip  alone." 

"  I  have  thought  of  that,  but  you  must  go,"  replied 
Mr.  Stewart,  warmly.  "  I  thank  you  for  ofiering  to  do  so, 
and  1  have  no  doubt  we  can  make  the  necessary  financial 
arrangements  through  our  friend,  Deaderick.  If  there 
should  be  troubles  there,  I  should  have  no  fear  of  being 


566  ACEOSS   THE   WATER. 

unable  to  make  a  speedy  end  of  them,  if  backed  by  your 
cooj  judgment  and  determined  spirit/^ 

At  this  moment  a  voice  was  heard  from  the  walk  near  the 
front  of  the  house,  exclaiming  : 

"  What  ho  !  my  Lord  of  ]\Iouteith  !  Where  is  your 
seneschal?  Lower  your  draw-bridge,  and  raise  your 
portcullis  !     A  clansman  is  at  your  gate  ! " 

^^  Deaderick,  my  dear  fellow/^  exclaimed  Mr.  Stewart, 
hastening  to  meet  his  eccentric  friend,  "  I  am  happy  to 
see  you,  but  was  not  expecting  you  for  an  hour.'' 

"  IN^o,  I  met  Dick— How  are  you,  Conrad ;  give  us  a 
shake  across  the  ^  bloody  ehasm,'  old  fellow  ! — -just  beyond 
the  gate — was  coming  here.  But  what's  up?  Any 
work  on  hand  ?  Shall  we  have  the  Hosts  of  Darkness 
from  the  depths  of  flaming  Phlegethon's  billows,  or  only 
the  gamboling  Ghouls  from  the  cheerful  shores  of  the 
groaning  of  Coc}i:us  ?  Speak,  O  great  Minos  ;  nor  earth 
nor  hell  shall  balk  thy  fair  intent ! " 

"  Lay  aside  your  mummery,  old  fellow,"  laughed  Mr. 
Stewart,  slightly  coloring,  as  he  placed  a  chair  for  his 
friend ;  "1  want  to  talk  ^  business '  if  you  will  excuse  the 
expressive  slang.  Conrad  and  I  want  to  borrow  five 
thousand  dollars  for — I  don't  know  how  long — say 
forever — and  we  wish  to  give  you  a  mortgage-deed  to  this 
property  to  secure  its  repayment." 

"  Hang  your  mortgage  deeds  on  the  outer  wall," 
exclaimed  the  new  comer,  assuming  a  tragic  attitude,  "  then 
cry  havoc,  and  let  slip  the  dogs  of  war  !  Am  I  a  man  to 
lock  the  rascal  ducats  in  my  coffers  and  ask  Lord  Minos 
and  the  Prince  for  mortgage-deed  ?  I'd  rather  be  a  toad 
and  feed  upon  the  vapors  of  a  dungeon,  than  such  a 
scallawaii: ! " 

"  Come,  Deaderick,"  said  Mr.  Stewart,  with  a  serious 


"fixaxcial  arraxgemexts."  567 

smile,  "  I  must  repeat  the  slang ;  Conrad  and  I  mean  busi- 
ness. We  must  be  off  this  night,  if  possible,  for  New 
York,  to  take  the  first  steamer  for  Europe.^' 

"  Ah !  you  are  going  after  Florence  Seymour,  and  Con- 
rad will  marry  Marienne  D^Elfons.  He  has  never  made 
a  fool  and  knave  of  himself  as  I  did  once  at  a  pic-nic. 
Well,  I  give  my  consent.  I  know  one  who  will  console 
me,  if  I  do  not  greatly  err.  Yes ;  of  course  you  shall 
have  twice  the  sum  you  ask ;  but  mortgage  deeds 
avaunt !  '^ 

"  But,  my  friend,  you " 

"  Don't  speak  a  word,  sir,  or  I'll  get  on  my  high  horse 
again  !  It  happened  when  I  was  in  Kew  Orleans,  that 
I  got  a  check  on  New  York  for  ten  thousand  dollars.  I 
intended  to  send  it  on  to  get  some  trinkets,  in  the  way  of 
diamonds,  for  a  certain  young  lady,  but  I  can  arrange 
differently,  without  the  least  trouble  or  delay,  and  you 
shall  take  that  check.  Mortgage-deeds,  be  hanged  !  If 
you  run  away,  or  leave  for  ^  that  undiscovered  country 
from  whose  bourne  no  traveler '  can  dodge  the  guards, — 
except  John  Brown's  soul, — I'll  take  your  plantation, 
reduce  Dick  and  Uncle  George,  and  mammy,  to  slavery, 
and  live  once  again  like  a  little  autocrat  of  a  small 
Russia." 

"  Deaderick,  my  dear  friend,  I  cannot  consent  to " 

began  Mr.  Stewart,  but  was  again  interrupted. 

"  Yes,  you  can  !  For  the  sake  of — we  know  whom — 
you  can  consent,  and  will  have  to  do  so.  My  baggage  is 
at  Mrs.  Dillard's.  I'll  meet  you  at  the  depot  with  the 
check,  and  I'll  make  a  memorandum  of  a  little  commission 
I  shall  get  you  to  attend  to  in  New  York." 

Seeing  that  all  remonstrance  was  useless,  the  two  mas- 
ters of  "  The  Oaks  "  accepted  the  situation  ;  and,  being 


568  ACROSS   THE  WATER. 

met  by  Mr.  Deaderick  at  the  depot,  according  to  promise, 
they  took  the  train  for  New  York.  On  arriving  in  that 
city,  they  found  a  steamer  ready  to  sail  on  the  next  day 
for  Liverpool,  and  immediately  engaged  passage  on  her. 

When  INIr.  Stewart  took  the  check  from  the  envelope 
in  which  Mr.  Deaderick  had  handed  it  to  him,  he  found 
the  following  memorandum,  to  which  his  eccentric  friend 
had  alluded,  folded  in  it : 

"  3Iem.  Go  to  Tiffany's,  and  order  a  stand  for  a  face 
screen,  to  be  made  30  inches  in  height,  of  oxiodinated 
silver, — not  of  oxydated, — in  the  form  of  the  grand  cyclops, 
with  a  carbuncle  garnet  for  the  eye,  and  with  a  patent 
elastic  back-bone,  so  that  it  may  be  raised  or  lowered 
at  pleasure.  Accoutrements  and  trimmings  of  tar- 
nished gold ;  pupil  of  eye,  black  onynx,  cut  into 
a  shading  of  green.  Best  artists  in  N.  Y.  to  get  up 
designs.  Cost  not  to  be  regarded,  but  I  want  my 
money's  worth  in  the  work.  Order  it  to  be  shipped 
to  Miss  Mary  W.  Dillard ;  bill  sent  to  F.  Deaderick." 

The  young  man  gave  the  order,  as  desired,  at  the  time 
that  he  exchanged  the  check  for  bills  on  a  Liverpool 
house  ;  and,  before  the  hour  of  going  aboard  on  the  next 
afternoon  had  arrived,  he  had  received  a  dozen  or  more 
designs  for  the  farcical  (or,  should  we  say,  allegorical  ?) 
work,  one  of  which  he  selected  on  account  of  the  classic 
attitude,  and  the  ludicrous  blending  of  mirth  and  villainy 
in  the  expression  of  the  countenance.  Having  arrived  in 
Paris,  the  two  gentlemen  sought  the  nearest  fashionable 
house  of  public  entertainment,  where  Mr.  Stewart  left 
his  friend,  and  repaired  alone  to  the  Hotel  L'Esperance, 
the  place  of  Marienne's  residence.  Marienne  had 
received  from  him,  on  the  eve  of  his  departure  from  New 
York,   a  cablegram,   giving  the  day   and   hour  of  his 


"happy  meeting/  569 

probable  arrival  in  Paris,  and  as  he  was  more  than  a 
day  overdue,  in  consequence  of  heavy  head-winds  and 
storms  throughout  the  passage  by  sea,  he  found  her  suf- 
fering much  anxiety  on  his  account.  After  mutually 
warm  and  hearty  greetings,  and  a  few  hasty  inquiries, 
Marienne  said,  pointing  to  a  pair  of  wide  sliding  doors 
which  stood  partly  ajar  at  the  further  end  of  the  room  : 

"  Monsieur,  Florence  is  in  the  back-parlor.  The  poor 
child's  nerves  have  been  terribly  tried  within  the  past  few 
days — we  were  compelled  to  appeal  to  the  American  min- 
ister for  protection — and  I  must  ask  you  to  make  your 
meeting  as  little  exciting  to  her  as  possible.  I  shall  go  to 
look  after  my  feathered  pets  now,''  she  added,  playfully 
tapping  him  on  the  shoulder  with  her  fan,  "  but  shall  be 
back  in  ten  minutes,  which  you  may  occupy  in  renewing 
your  acquaintanceship  with  my  patient." 

As  Marienne  left  the  room,  the  young  man  passed 
through  the  opening  between  the  doors  which  separated 
the  two  rooms.  In  the  darkness,  at  the  further  end  of 
the  back  parlor,  where  heavy  silken  curtains  excluded  all 
light  save  what  entered  from  the  adjoining  room  which  he 
had  just  left,  sat  ]\Iiss  Seymour,  with  her  hands  covering 
her  face,  while  inaudible  sobs  of  deep  emotion  convulsed 
her  slender  form.  Advancing  beyond  the  centre  of 
the  room,  and  being  only  able,  in  consequence  of  his 
sudden  transition  from  light  to  comparative  darkness," 
to  distinguish  the  outlines  of  the  form  before  him,  he 
paused,  and  inquired,  in  a  half-reproachful  tone  of  voice  : 

"  Florence — Miss  Seymour — will  you  not  welcome 
me?" 

Then  an  audible  sob  reached  his  ears,  and  he  saw 
the  silhouette  figure  make  an  ineffectual  effort  to  arise,  and 
then  fall  back  upon  the  seat,  with  hands  extended,  as  if  in 


570  ACROSS   THE   WATER. 

helpless  and  supplicating  greeting.  The  next  instant  he 
knelt  by  the  side  of  the  sobbing  maiden,  and,  clasping 
her  trembling  form  in  his  arms,  he  whispered,  passion- 
ately : 

"  Florence,  darling ;  precious  idol  of  my  soul,  for- 
give me, — -forgive  me  !  At  last,  after  all  these  weary, 
miserable  years,  you  are  mine, — mine!  Heaven  has 
given  you  to  me,  and,  with  Heaven's  sanction,  I  swear 
that  you  shall  never  be  taken  from  me  again  !  Dear 
love,  will  you  not  repeat,  with  your  own  sweet  lips, 
the  precious  assurance  that  you  are  my  own,  now  and 
forever  ?  '^ 

"  Yes ;  I  am  your  o'svn, — my  poor,  broken  heart  has 
found  its  rest  at  last, — your  own,  now  and  forever!" 
murmured  the  young  lady,  as  she  gave  a  timid  kiss 
in  response  to  the  passionate  caresses  which  were  being 
pressed,  with  devouring  eagerness,  upon  her  passive  lips. 

Twenty  minutes  later,  as  Marienne  returned,  she  was 
met  at  the  door  by  the  young  man,  who,  taking  both  of 
her  hands  in  his,  exclaimed  : 

"  You  will  find  I  have  not  excited  your  patient,  and 
that  she  is  quiet  and  happy.  She  has  told  me  what  a 
dear,  devoted  sister  you  have  been  to  her,  and  I  have 
a  right  to  add  the  deep  gratitude  of  my  heart  to  hers.  I 
go  now  to  bring  my  friend,  and  Florence's  cousin,  Frank 
Conrad,  to  greet  her,  and  make  your  acquaintance.  He 
has  as  noble  a  soul  as  even  yours,  Marienne,  and  you  will 
find  him  in  every  way  worthy  of  your  deepest  and  purest 
friendship.  We  shall  be  here  within  an  hour,  and  shall 
invite  ourselves  to  dine  with  you,  unless  you  deem  it  more 
prudent  to  give  Florence  quiet  and  rest." 

"  Oh,  no  ;  come,  by  all  means,  before  six  o'clock,  our 
dinner  hour/'  said  Marienne,  returning  the  warm  pressure 


^^THE   ^EGOTISM   OF   TWO.'''  571 

of  her  friend's  hands.  "  I  fancy  there  is  no  quiet  and  rest 
so  soothing  and  invigorating  as  the  presence  which 
banishes  all  fears  and  doubts  from  the  mind,  and  fills  the 
heart  with  a  sense  of  the  realization  of  all  the  bright 
aspirations  of  a  life-time." 

The  two  invited  guests  appeared  in  good  time  at  the 
Hotel  L'Esperance  ;  and,  after  spending  one  of  the  most 
delightful  evenings  ever  known  in  the  experience  of 
either,  as  they  wended  their  way  homeward,  a  short  time 
after  the  midnight  hour,  Mr.  Conrad  exclaimed  : 

"  Stewart,  old  fellow,  I  want  to  whisper  a  secret  into  the 
safe-keeping  of  a  brother's  confidence.  You  learnt  from 
Florence's  pleasant  raillery  this  evening  that  in  the  callow 
days  of  my  youth  I  was  very  susceptible ;  but  I  have 
never  loved  really,  and  if  I  ever  shall  love — '  if,'  do  I 
say,  as  though  I  have  not  long  hoped  to  meet  my  destiny, 
and  as  though  prescient  instinct  has  not  already  pointed 
her  out  j — the  queen  and  only  sovereign  of  my  heart  shall 
be  Florence's  gentle  friend,  the  lovely  Marienne  D'Elfons." 

The  return  passage  across  the  ocean  during  the  haz}", 
dreamy  days,  and  the  full-moon-lighted  nights  of  Sep- 
tember was  all  that  the  four  happy  travelers  could 
desire.  Mr.  Stewart's  and  his  lady-love's  indulgence 
in  that  ^^  egotism  of  two,"  which  love  has  been  aptly 
described  as  being,  left  the  two  companions  of  their 
voyage  almost  entirely  dependent  upon  their  own  resources 
for  enjoyment;  and  it  was  soon  observed,  by  wakeful 
passengers  who  restlessly  promenaded  the  deck  until  the 
midnight  hour,  that  the  other  couple  were  fast  becoming 
dual  egotists  also. 

"  Florence,  sweet  love,"  said  Mr.  Stewart  on  one  of  the 
last  evenings  of  the  voyage,  "on  my  trip  over,  when 
fearftil  forebodings  caused  my  impatient  soul  to  fret  at 

35 


572  ACROSS   THE   WATER. 

every  delaying  circumstance,  we  were  beset  by  head-winds 
and  opposing  storms,  which  di'ove  us  from  our  course 
and  gave  us  great  delay.  But  now,  that  I  have  you  by 
my  side,  that  my  heart  is  at  ease,  and  that  I  know  the 
worst  fate  which  can  possibly  befall  us  will  be  to  sleep 
sweetly  in  each  other's  arms  beneath  the  billows  which 
are  bearing  us  so  rapidly  homeward,  every  circumstance 
of  the  voyage  is  propitious.  Calm  seas  and  favoring 
breezes  speed  us  on  our  way,  while  beautiful  nature,  above 
and  around,  smiles  brightly  and  benignly  upon  us.  May 
it  not  be,  my  darling,  that  the  hushed  sounds  which  come 
up  to  us  from  the  distant  realms  of  the  sea,  ^like  the 
rustling  of  the  ^dngs  of  Silence,'  is  the  whispering  voice 
of  the  oracle  of  our  destiny  telling  me  to  behold  the  con- 
trast between  the  voyage  with  you  and  the  one  without 
you,  and  bidding  us  accept  the  present  as  a  harbinger 
of  our  future  voyage  of  life  ? '' 

"  Ah  !  let  us  not  indulge  in  prescious  musings  ! "  replied 
the  young  lady,  nestling  closer  to  her  lover^s  bosom. 
"  Remember  how  sweetly  the  stars  shone  upon  us  on  that 
one  happy  night  at  "  The  Oaks,"  and  how  soon  the  black 
clouds  of  despair  overshadoAved  our  horizon,  and  the 
cruel  hand  of  fate  ^vrapped  its  shroud  around  us,  and 
tore  you  away  from  my  clinging  heart,  leaving  my  poor 
widowed  soul  to  weep  such  bitter,  bitter  tears.  No,  let 
us  not  forecast  the  future  lest  we  tempt  Providence.  Our 
Father  knoweth  what  is  good  for  us.  We  mil  live  only 
in  the  present.  In  each  present  moment  we  will  so  fulfill 
every  duty  of  love  and  trust,  toward  Him  and  toward 
each  other,  as  to  insure  the  ushering  in  of  another  happy 
moment,  in  which  again,  to  fulfill  our  duties  of  love  and 
trust ;  and  so  on,  from  moment  to  moment,  till  the  years 
.shall  pass  and  bring   us  to  the  haven  of    perfect  joy, 


<^     T»   4    TimT   A    T  TTIVT^T      *    TkT    A    mT/-VT^-C1     ?^ 


PARTIAL   EXPLANATIONS."  573 

side  by  side,  and  hand  in  hand,  before  the  Eternal 
Throne." 

"  Darling/'  said  the  young  man,  musingly,  while  some- 
thing like  a  mist  glittered  upon  his  eye-lashes,  "  I  know 
that  you  loved  me, — I  may  say  I  have  never  doubted 
it, — but  tell  me  how,  loving  as  you  did,  so  earnestly,  so 
devotedly,  you  could  have  sent  me  that  cruel  note  on  the 
occasion  of  my  last  visit  to  the  Atheneum." 

"  Cruel !  '^  exclaimed  the  young  lady,  sitting  erect  and 

turning  on  the  slatted  bench  occupied  by  each,  so  as  to 

face  her  lover,  "  Ah  !  it  was  you  who  were  cruel !  But  I 
forgave  you  and  chided  my  heart  then,  as  I  do  now,  for 

the  accusation ;  for  I  knew  then,  despite  all  the  tangle 

of  fact  and  plausible  falsehood,  that  you  loved  and  trusted 

me — even  as  I  know  now  that  you  do.     But  that  is  a 

painful  subject ;  we  will  speak  of  it  no  more.'' 

"  Stay,  darling  !  do  not  say  so.  Let  us  speak  of  it  at 
least  till  I  may  see  through  the  mystery  which  your 
words  only  make  deeper.  How  could  you  deem  me  cruel 
when  I  merely  asked  to  know  your  pleasure  with  refer- 
ence to  my  visits  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  understand  you  ! "  exclaimed  the  young 
lady,  gazing,  with  a  startled  expression,  into  her  lover's 
eyes. 

"  I  had  been  told  that  you  desired  to  see  me  no  more,  and 
in  my  note  I  only  asked  that  you  put  those  cruel  words 
into  writing,  that  I  might  wear  them  upon  my  heart  in 
the  fore-front  of  battle." 

"  Heavenly  Father  ! "  exclaimed  the  young  lady,  rising 
suddenly  to  her  feet,  "  I  got  no  note  !  He  told  me  that 
you — Ah !  merciful  God,  forgive  him !"  she  again 
exclaimed,  interrupting  herself  and  covering  her  face  with 
her  hands  as  she  smothered  a  convulsive  sob. 


574  ACROSS   THE   WATER. 

The  young  man  arose  and  stood  by  her  side,  but  not 
knowing  what  to  say,  he  remained  silent,  and  only  placed 
his  hands  upon  her  head,  as  if  in  caressing  benediction, 
and  made  a  motion  to  press  it  to  his  bosom. 

"  No!"  exclaimed  the  young  lady,  drawing  back  as  she 
dropped  her  hands  from  her  face  and  looked  steadily  into 
her  lover's  eyes  :  "  Will  you  remain  passive  a  moment ! " 
Then,  approaching  him  and  laying  her  hands  upon  the 
lapels  of  his  coat,  she  looked  up  into  his  eyes  again  and 
said:  "Darling,  I  feel  constrained  to  usurp  your  pre- 
rogative, and  make  this  unmaidenly  advance  as  a  proper 
and  just  piacular  sacrifice  for  the  wrong  I  have  done  you 
in  the  past.  I  have  always  believed  you  one  of  the  noblest 
and  most  generous  of  men,  and  I  was  hardly  conscious 
that  the  false  position  which  you  occupied  in  my  thoughts 
made  you  less  than  a  perfect  character,  until  now  that 
I  know  the  position  to  be  false, — in  respect  to  what  I 
speak  of, — and  I  have  additional  proof  of  the  nobleness 
of  your  nature.  And  now  will  you  please  stoop  that  I 
may  kiss  your  forehead  ?  " 

The  young  man  laughingly  bowed  his  head  to  receive 
the  pure  caress,  and  the  young  lady  added  : 

"  The  past  is  dead  ;  let  it  bury  itself  Let  us  promise 
that  we  will  never  refer  to  this  matter  again,  for  it  can 
be  productive  of  pain  only  to  both  of  us.'' 

"You  forget,  sweet  one,"  rejoined  the  young  man, 
"that  I  am  still  in  mystery,  except  that  I  now  know, 
what  I  half-suspected  before,  that  some  deception  was 
practiced ;  and  while  you  do  homage  to  what  you  sup- 
pose to  be  virtues  in  me,  you  propose  to  bar  the  door 
against  the  acquisition,  on  my  part,  of  any  knowledge  of 
a  real  nobleness  and  generosity  which  would  cause  me  to 
bow  down  and  worship  you.     Well ;  be  it  so  !     Perhaps 


"a  solemn  compact."  575 

I  had  better  not  prove  you  to  be  so  prefect  an  angel  that 
I  shall  feel  unworthy  to  stoop  and  kiss  the  hem  of  your 
garment.  That  is  almost  my  feeling  at  this  moment,  and 
I  readily  assent  to  your  proposition.  The  subject  shall 
be  sealed  to  our  lips  forever  !  But  tell  me,  while  we  are 
speaking  of  old  matters,  why  it  was  that  you  never  an- 
swered even  one  of  Conrad's  letters  after  Gettysburg,  and 
never  so  much  as  sent  me  a  token  of  your  existence  and 
remembrance  while  I  w^as  in  prison  ? '' 

"  That  is  a  branch  of  the  forbidden  subject,"  said 
the  young  lady,  with  emotion.  "  AYe  must  agree  to  ^  let 
the  dead  past  bury  its  dead.'  But  this  much  I  must  say, 
— duty,  both  to  you  and  myself,  demands  it.  I  did  not 
know  that  you  had  been  in  prison  till  informed  of  the  fact 
by  Dick,  your  former  coachman,  when  he  came  to  see  me 
in  New  York.  We  will  include  this  branch  of  the  subject 
under  our  seal  of  silence ;  and  now,  as  a  token  that  you 
assent  to  this,  and  that  all  your  fine  speech  of  this 
moment  was  not  meant  for  flattery,  wdiich,  in  reality, 
it  was,  of  course,  I  offer  my  forehead  for  a  pure,  Platonic 
kiss, — a  Stygian  affirmation,  as  it  were,  by  the  god 
Apollo, — and  also  a  good-night  benison,  for  I  see  that 
Marienne  has  left  the  deck." 

The  pure  kiss  was  given,  but  the  young  man  could 
not  resist  the  temptation  to  demonstrate  the  fact,  in  his 
usual  vigorous  manner,  that  Plato  did  not  occupy  the 
highest  niche  in  the  gallery  of  his  sentiments,  while  he 
held  the  palpitating  and  half-resisting  form  of  his  beloved 
in  his  arms. 

Within  a  month  after  the  foregoing  moonlight  conver- 
sation, the  Barrensville  Herald  copied  the  follo'sving 
paragraph  from  a  New  York  letter  to  a  New  Orleans 
paper : 


576  ACROSS   THE   WATER. 

"  There  was  an  extremely  recherche  affair  last  evening 
at  No.  — ,  Fifth  Avenue,  the  elegant  residence  of  the 
Hon. Seymour.  The  occasion  was  the  mar- 
riage of  a  lady  relative  of  the  honorable  gentleman — 
Miss  Florence  Seymour,  for  some  years  past  a  resident  of 
Paris, — and  Mr.  C.  A.  Stewart,  of  Alabama,  a  typical 
Southern  gentleman,  well  known  in  many  parts  of  the 
South.  The  groom  was  attended  by  Brig.-Gen.  Francis 
M.  Conrad,  a  gallant  Union  soldier  during  the  war; 
and  the  first  bridesmaid  was  Madamoiselle  Marienne 
D'Elfons,  a  native,  I  learn,  of  New  Orleans,  and  one  of 
the  largest  real  estate  owners  in  that  city.  She  is  a  cousin 
to  Count  Cesare  D'Elfons,  of  France,  in  which  country 
she  has  resided  to  the  present  time  since  the  taking  of  the 
Crescent  City  and  its  occupancy  by  Federal  troops. 
Among  the  distinguished  guests  present  on  the  occasion 
were  the  Hon.  Horace  Greely,  a  connection  of  the  bride, 
and  Alabama's  millionaire,  Colonel  Frederick  W.  Dead- 
erick,  well  known  in  your  city  as  ^  the  Reformed  Puritan.' 
The  presents  are  said  to  have  been  exceptionally  elegant, 
that  of  Col.  Deaderick  being  declared  by  connoisseurs 
to  be  the  most  unique  and  original  in  design,  as  well  as 
one  of  the  most  chaste  and  beautiful,  ever  exhibited  upon 
such  an  occasion." 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
IxTER  Spem  et  Metum  ! 

^^  Philosophy  and  Reason  !    Oh  hov:  vain 
Their  lessons  to  the  feelings.'* 

— Miss  Elizabeth  Bogart. 

"  Your  gentleness  shall  force 
More  than  your  force  move  us  to  gentleness.'*   . 

— Shakespere.     "As  You  Like  it." 

SOME  years  have  passed  since  the  Barrensville  Herald 
noticed  the  marriage  referred  to  in  the  last  chapter ; 
and  in  the  mean  time  it  has  published  accounts  of  two 
other  brilliant  marriages  in  which  it  is  hoped  the  reader 
feels  an  interest :  Madamoiselle  D'Elfons,  with  Brigadier- 
General  Conrad  at  the  old  D'Elfons  mansion,  in  Xew 
Orleans,  and  Miss  Mary  Dillard  with  Colonel  Deaderick, 
at  the  residence  of  the  bride's  mother.  To-day,  being  Ash 
Wednesday,  yesterday,  of  course,  was  Pancake  day, 
Shrove  Tuesday  or  Mardi  Gras,  according  to  the  country 
in  which  it  may  be  named  ;  and  supposing  the  reader  to 
have  attended  the  gorgeous  and  unique  celebration  which 
that  day  has  received  from  time  immemorial  in  Xew 
Orleans,  we  take  his  arm  and  ask  him  to  accompany  us 
on  a  visit  to  our  old  friends,  who  are  assembled,  as  has 
become  an  established  custom  with  them  at  this  season,  at 
the  old  D'Elfons  mansion,  where  Madam  Marienne 
Conrad,  now  Countess  D'Elfons,  by  right  of  inheritance, 
her  cousin  having  died  in  France  suddenly  and  unexpect- 
edly, dispenses  elegant  hospitality. 

577 


578  INTER   SPEM    ET   METUM  ! 

We  pass  from  the  turbid  and  boiling  flood  of  the  great 
"  Father  of  Waters/^  up  an  unusually  broad  and  elegant 
street,  or  rather  avenue  of  double  streets  with  lawns  of 
good  size,  covered  with  velvety  turf  and  ornamented  with 
statues  and  shrubbery,  dividing  the  two,  and  giving  ^mag- 
nificent  distance '  to  the  view  from  pavement  to  pavement 
across  them.  This  we  recognize  as  Canal  street,  the 
beautiful  Boulevard  of  the  Crescent  City.  Turning  to 
the  left,  up  St.  Charles  Street,  we  pass  the  hotel  of  that 
name,  which  makes  a  grand  display  of  architectural  beauty 
under  the  imperfect  light  of  numerous  gas  jets,  and  the 
pale  glimmer  from  the  silver-bow  of  the  new  moon,  pass 
long  avenues  of  gas  lights  which  open  to  the  right  and 
left,  displaying  for  a  moment  their  throngs  of  bustling 
pedestrians  and  hurrying  vehicles,  pass  stately  mansions 
standing  boldly  out  in  their  pride  of  beauty,  and  lovely 
cottages  modestly  veiling  themselves  behind  bowers  of 
magnolias  and  roses,  and  on  till  we  pause  before  a  grand, 
old-fashioned  building,  occupying  a  full  square,  and 
standing  in  haughty  reserve  back  from  the  plebeian 
thoroughfare.  Its  three-storied  portico,  supported  by 
massive  fluted  columns,  with  elaborately-carved  Cor- 
inthian capitals,  and  flanked  by  oriel  windows,  looms 
up  like  a  white  spectre-giant,  amid  the  dark  foliage 
of  slender  hollies,  and  of  spreading  live-oaks  from 
whose  far-reaching  branches  delicate  festoons  and  slender 
pennons  of  long  gray  moss  wave  gracefully  in  the  evening 
breeze.  Lights  are  glancing  through  the  half-closed 
lattices  of  many  windows,  as  we  approach  and  enter  the 
wide  hall,  with  its  carved  wainscoating,  and  turn  into  a 
large  room,  with  tall  mirrors  reaching  from  the  soft 
Persian  carpet  to  the  curiously-molded  cornice. 

Sitting  in  front  of  two  windows  which  extend  from  the 


"a  gatheeing  of  old  friends."  579 

floor,  and  whose  rose-colored  damask  hangings  are  drawn 
back  to  admit  the  fresh  breeze  through  the  embroidered 
lace  curtains,  drawn  down  to  modify  its  coolness/  are  two 
groups  engaged  in  pleasant  conversation  ;  one  of  gentle- 
men only,  and  the  other  of  ladies.  The  gentlemen  are 
speaking  of  political  matters,  hence  the  segregation 
of  the  gentle  sex.  AYe  recognize  Messrs.  Stewart, 
Conrad  and  Deaderick,  who  are  listening,  with  marked 
interest,  to  the  words  of  a  gray-haired  old  gentleman 
whose  rather  unhandsome  features  are  almost  beautiful, 
as  a  whole,  in  their  expression  of  candid  simplicity  and 
all-persuading  benevolence.  In  the  other  group  we 
recognize  Mrs.  Stewart,  Mrs.  Conrad,  and  we  know  the 
beautiful  brunette  to  be  Mrs.  Deaderick.  We  also 
recognize  Jane,  who  at  the  moment  enters,  bearing  a  baby 
wrapped  in  fleecy  laces,  in  her  arms,  with  the  remark  to 
Mrs.  Stewart : 

"  Miss  Florence,  little  Conrad  has  been  'sleep  for  ever 
so  long,  but  dis  blessed  baby  keeps  on  laffin'  an'  crowin' ; 
an'  I  'speck  he  wants  to  help  entertain  de  company ;  bless 
his  little  mouf." 

"  Well,  bring  him  here,  Jane,"  said  the  lady,  going  to 
the  masculine  group,  and  addressing  the  old  gentleman  : 

"  Cousin  Horace,  you  shall  not  quarrel  ^4th  my  hus- 
band. The  right  to  express  his  opinions  is  the  only  pre- 
rogative of  a  freeman  which  he  can  now  exercise,  and  if 
its  free  and  untrammeled  indulgence  shall  bring  on  clan 
conflict  between  Cavalier  and  Puritan,  J,  sir ; "  she  said, 
playfully  shaking  her  small  fist  under  the  old  gentleman's 
nose,  ^'  shall  fight  his  battles  with  all  the  old  gentlemen 
such  as  you.  Oh,  you  may  smile  at  the  fist,  sir ;  but  you 
don't  know  what  the  finger  nails  might  be  able  to  do  in 
a  righteous  cause.     But  I  am  going  to  require  you  to  kiss 


580  INTER   SPEM   ET   METUM  ! 

the  cheek  of  your  little  namesake  as  your  sign-labial  to  a 
political  truce  for  the  balance  of  the  week.^' 

"  Yeiy  well/'  laughed  the  old  gentleman,  taking  the 
bright-eyed  Seymour-Stewart  into  his  arms  and  bestowing 
sundry  awkward  dandlings  and  caresses,  which  the  little 
one  received  with  demonstrations  of  joyous  hilarity.  "  I 
shall  kiss  the  little  fire-eater,  and,  perhaps,  the  caress  and 
the  name  may  exert  a  benign  influence,  which  will  cool 
the  Southern  ardor  of  his  blood,  and  enable  him,  when 
he  grows  up,  to  sink  sectional  devotion  in  the  grander 
feeling  of  a  boundless  national  patriotism/' 

"  Do  not  hope  it,  sir,''  replied  the  lady,  as  she  received 
the  little  one  into  her  own  arms.  "  Patriotism,  like  charity, 
should  begin  at  home ;  and  the  past  history  of  our  coun- 
try proves  that  our  grandest  national  patriots  were  men 
who  gave  their  first  and  deepest  devotion  to  their  own 
section  and  people.  Is  it  not  natural  that  a  child  should 
love  its  own  mother  more  than  his  collateral  relatives,  or 
the  collective  family ;  and  if  a  son  could  prove  recreant 
to  the  love  and  duty  due  his  mother,  could  or  should  he 
be  trusted  as  a  champion  of  the  family  ?  " 

"  Ha !  ha ! "  laughed  the  old  gentleman,  taking  hold  of 
the  lady's  skirt  to  detain  her,  as  she  turned  to  leave  him : 
"  you  are  very  apt  and  practical  in  your  illustration,  and 
I'll  be  bound  you'll  so  rear  that  little  rebel  that,  should 
the  necessity  arise,  he'll  fight  for  his  mother,  whether 
natural  or  political,  even  against  the  saints  of  the  earth 
should  they  assail.  But  you  are  a  bad  truce-maker,  for 
you  break  yours  in  the  act  of  making  it,  and  I  therefore 
feel  justified  in  holding  it  in  abeyance,  till  I  finish  the 
remarks  cut  short  by  your  threatening  demonstrations." 

"  Very  well,  sir ; "  replied  the  lady,  taking  one  of  the 
baby's  arms  and  shaking  the  chubby  fist  at  tlie  old  gentle- 


"well,  avhat  of  it?"  581 

man,  "  but  recollect,  this  right  arm  will  not  suffer  you, 
nor  any,  nor  all  of  the  saints  of  the  earth,  to  be  ^  sassy  ^ 
to  papa  any  sooner  than  to  mamma/' 

'^Stewart,''  exclaimed  the  old  gentleman,  laughing 
heartily,  "  I  hope  Florence  may  not  develop  a  bad  case 
of  the  prevailing  politico-phobia.  As  it  seems  to  be  con- 
tagious down  here,  perhaps  I'd  better  get  Conrad  to  send 
me  off.  But  as  I  was  saying :  ^  One  great  cause  of  trouble 
is,  that  your  people  look  upon  the  enfranchisement  of  the 
negro  as  a  gratuitous  insult — a  causeless  infamy.  You 
believe  that  it  was  intended  to  humiliate  without  even  the 
mean  motive  of  advantage  to  be  derived.  You  do  not 
believe  that  the  negro  was  enfranchised  for  his  o^\ti  sake, 
or  because  the  Republican  party  believed  him  to  be  enti- 
tled to  self-goverment,  or  fit  for  self-government,  but  sim- 
ply and  solely  because  it  was  hoped  thereby  to  degrade, 
overawe,  and  render  ^^owerless  the  white  element  of  the 
Southern  populations.  You  regard  it  as  a  fraud  in  itself, 
by  which  the  party  pretended  to  give  back  to  the  South  her 
place  in  the  nation,  but  gives  her  instead,  only  a  debased 
and  degraded  co-ordination  with  an  inferior  and  soon  to 
be  made  hostile  race.  In  a  word,  you  deem  that  you  were 
entitled  to  a  fish  and  have  been  given  a  serpent.  I  have 
oflen  been  amused  at  the  white-lipped  rage  which  some 
Southern  men  display  after  expressing  these  sentiments, 
to  have  the  Northern  auditor  smile  in  his  face  and  ask, 
'  Well,  what  of  it  ? '  The  anger  of  your  people  seems  to 
the  Northern  mind  useless,  absurd  and  ridiculous.  It 
appears  as  groundless  and  almost  as  laughable  as  the 
frantic  and  impotent  rage  of  the  Chinaman,  who  has  lost 
his  sacred  queue  by  the  hand  of  the  Christian  spoiler."  * 

"Yes,"    replied  the  young  man,  while  a  flush  burnt 

*  This  speech  is  adapted  from  "  Bricks  without  Straw,"  page  355. 


582  INTER   SPEM    ET    METUM  ! 

upon  his  cheeks,  "  any  rage,  even  that  of  a  Chinaman,  in 
order  to  be  laughable,  must  first  be  impotent.  The  poor 
Chinaman  considers  it  a  great  indignity  to  have  liis  queue 
cut  oif,  and  all  human  creatures,  no  matter  how  low  in 
the  scale  of  humanity,  feel  some  resentment  at  an  indig- 
nity. I  have  known  a  Plymouth  Rock  Puritan  to 
become  mildly  indignant  at  having  his  nose  pulled,  or  at 
having:  a  little  harmless  saliva  bloTNTi  into  his  face.  Such 
ebullitions  are  the  natural  outcroppings  of  a  common 
instinct  or  failing  of  humanity.  They  are  nature^s  adver- 
tisements that  tell  where  one  may  find  the  spirit  of  a  man 
residing,  or  only  a  human  tenement  ^to  let.^  As  to  the 
causes  which  induced  the  Republican  party  to  enfranchise 
the  negro,  you  have  stated  them  ver}^  concisely ;  and  were 
you  inclined  to  be  disingenuous,  which  I  know  to  be  not 
the  case,  the  ravings  of  the  Thad.  Stevens'  class  of  politi- 
cians and  of  the  Congress  generally — to  say  nothing  of 
the  party  pulpit  and  press — would  put  it  out  of  your 
power  to  make  other  answer  to  those  charges  than  the 
quoted  question,  ^  Well,  what  of  it  ? '  But  that  sneering 
and  contemptuous  question  so  flippantly  asked  by  the 
present,  must  have  a  solemn  answer  from  the  future,  per- 
haps from  the  very  next  generation,  for  great  is  the  power 
of  political  demagoguer}^,  and  race  prejudice  is  a  most 
fearful  weapon  for  it  to  wield.  God  grant  that  the  answer, 
whenever  it  shall  come,  may  not  be  written  in  blood  by  the 
hand  of  anarchy.  In  this  connection  I  will  dissent  from 
one  little  point  in  your  statement  of  the  case.  We  do  not 
believe  the  intent  to  humble  was  ^without  the  mean 
motive  of  advantage  to  be  derived.'  To  one  living  in 
the  country,  who  has  facilities  for  learning  what  is  going 
on  in  secret  as  well  as  in  public,  it  is  painfully  evident 
that  the  Republican  party  expect  to  derive  the  greatest 


'^PLOTTING  FOR   A   LEASE  OF  POWER."  583 

possible  advantage  from  enfranchising  the  blacks  and  dis- 
franchising all  they  can  of  the  whites.  They  believe 
political  and  religious  emissaries  in  the  Freedman^s 
Bureau,  Union  League  and  Mission  Schools  can  and  will 
so  prejudice  the  negroes  against  the  whites,  as  to  make 
political  affiliation  between  the  two  races  impossible  for 
all  time  to  come ;  and  the  mastery  of  the  South  being 
secured  to  the  negro,  they  secure  to  themselves  a  perpetual 
lease  of  poicer  in  the  Genei^al  Gcyvernmenty 

"  Ha  !  There  is  a  show  of  plausibility  about  that," 
said  the  old  gentleman,  looking  steadily  at  his  companion, 
"  and  this  belief,  perhaps,  enables  the  persons  who  form 
the  Ku-Klux  conspiracy  to  justify  the  acts  of  that  organiz- 
ation in  intimidating  negro  voters  ?  " 

"  No,  sir  !  I  think  the  so-called  Ku-Klux  take  but 
little  account  of  such  physically  inoffensive  things  as 
negroes'  votes.  They  care  but  little  who  may  be  Presi- 
dent or  members  of  Congress,  so  long  as  they  know  they 
have  only  themselves  to  depend  on  to  meet  the  present 
emergency,  and  to  keep  under  control  the  tide  of  anarchy 
and  barbarism,  which  threatens  to  overwhelm  us,  before 
the  negro  shall  be  permitted  to  indicate  in  what  direction 
his  natural  instinct  will  lead  him.  In  order  to  ensure 
the  mastery  for  the  Republican  party  over  the  negro,  it  is 
necessary  to  fire  his  heart  against  the  Southern  white 
people.  This  being  done,  he  is  not  satisfied  with  political 
vengeance, — to  his  mind,  a  milk-sop  sentiment, — but 
yearns  to  taste  of  vengeance  in  its  full  flavor,  and  through 
the  medium  of  his  physical  senses.  His  teachings  having 
thus  inspired  him  with  a  desire  to  injure,  deface,  destroy, 
or  appropriate  our  property,  and  to  commit  lawless  acts 
against  our  persons,  and  crimes  against  the  peace  of  society, 
nature's  first  law  demands  that  some  power  shall  step  for- 


584  INTER   SPEM   ET   METUM ! 

ward  and  check  his  mad  career.  I  think  the  acts  of  the 
so-called  Ku-Klux  are  designed  only  to  punish  overt  acts  of 
villainy,  and  to  intimidate  the  vicious.  If  their  grotesque 
performances,  in  some  instances,  inspire  the  negro  with 
such  ludicrous  fear  of  the  supernatural  as  to  make  him 
afraid  to  leave  his  cabin  at  night  in  order  to  attend  the 
League  musters,  or  the  Voudoo-like,  so-called,  prayer- 
meetings,  that  works  no  detriment  to  him,  to  say  the  very 
least,  and  is  a  point  gained  in  the  interest  of  peace  and 
good  order." 

"  Was  the  burning  of  a  Christian  church,  and  the  flog- 
ging of  devout  worshippers,  one  of  the  innocent  grotesque 
performances  that  Avas  calculated  to  work  such  great  good 
in  the  interest  of  peace  and  good  order  ?  I  allude  to  the 
Bethel  church  outrage,  which,  by  the  by,  occurred  in  your 
state." 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  it  was.  Since  the  war,  it  has  been  several 
times  necessary,  for  the  peace  and  well-being  of  the 
negroes  themselves,  to  break  up  assemblages  of  Voudoos ; 
and  if  for  the  peace  and  well-being  of  the  whites  it 
becomes  necessar^^  to  break  up  similar  assemblages  of  per- 
sons calling  themselves  Christians,  I  consider  the  acts 
equally  laudable." 

"  Then  you  mean  it  to  be  understood,  as  I  understand 
you,  that  your  people  will  not  submit  to  the  teaching  of 
even  a  Christian  doctrine  that  may  be  calculated  to  dis- 
turb the  peace  and  well-being  of  the  white  people  ?  " 

"  Ah,  Mr.  Greely,"  laughed  the  young  man,  "  I  see 
you  are  indulging  in  what,  I  have  been  told,  is  a  pet 
amusement  with  vou  !  You  are  havino;  an  intellectual  or 
argumentative  practical  joke  at  my  expense  !  You  being 
one  of  the  first  moral  philosophers  of  this  continent,  I 
need  not  reply,  that  the  teaching  of  any  Christian  doctrine 


"the  ^chkistian  spoiler/^'  585 

must  necessarily  redound  to  the  peace  and  well-being  of 
all  classes  of  a  community.  It  is  the  doctrine  of  *  cannon- 
balls,  fire-brands,  and  arsenic ; '  the  doctrine  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts bishop,  his  compeers  and  minions,  that  our  civil- 
ization commands  to  meet  with  ungloved  hands  and 
nerves  of  steel.  The  building  destroyed  was  dedicated  by 
our  people  to  the  Holy  God,  but  was  used  by  those  people 
to  advance  the  interests  of  the  '  bad  angel ; '  and  the  men 
flogged  were  poor  dupes,  whose  acts  carried  the  lessons 
given  them  into  practical  operation.  There  may  be  no 
law  to  prevent  the  preaching  of  murder,  rape  and  arson, 
but  those  who  perpetrate  the  crimes  will  always  be 
punished  in  the  South,  even  if  law-abiding  citizens  have 
to  assume  the  role  of  outlaws  in  order  to  inflict  the  pun- 
ishment. There  is  a  great  diflerence  between  our 
Christianity  and  this  Plymouth  Rock  religionism.  Ours 
would  teach  the  '  Christian  spoiler '  to  abstain  from  wan- 
tonly insulting  the  poor  Chinaman  by  cutting  ofl"  his 
queue  ;  theirs  would  teach  him  to  cut  off  the  Chinaman's 
queue,  head  and  all,  unless  the  poor  heathen  quickly 
learnt  to  sing  their  psalms  with  a  nasal  twang  and  a  sanc- 
timonious leer." 

"  Ha,  ha,  ha  !"  laughed  the  old  gentleman,  with  real 
amusement,  and,  turning  to  the  ladies,  he  exclaimed : 

"  Florence,  come  here  to  this  husband  of  yours,  and 
make  him  sign  the  truce  before  he  kills  me  with  politics 
and  religion  !  By  the  by,  where  is  the  other  savage, — ^the 
redoubtable  one  you  and  Conrad  promised  to  show  me, 
who  so  longed,  during  the  war,  to  get  an  abolitionist's 
scalp,  but  could  never  even  strike  the  trail  of  one  ?  " 

"  I  will  send  him  in,  Mr.  Greely,"  said  Mrs.  Conrad, 
taking  Mrs.  Deaderick's  hand,  and  leaving  the  room,  with 
a  nod  to  Mr.  Deaderick  to  follow. 


586  INTER   SPEM   ET   METUM  ! 

Mr.  Stewart  laughingly  gave  his  ^  sign-labiaP  to  the 
truce,  and  the  party  were  comparing  notes  of  adventure 
during  the  magnificent  pageant  of  yesterday's  Mardi  Gras, 
when  the  door  giving  entrance  from  a  side  piazza  opened 
softly,  and  our  old  friend,  Dick,  entered,  looking  a  little 
dazed,  but  submitting  resignedly  to  the  escort  of  Mr. 
Deaderick's  arm. 

^*  Mr.  Greely,"  said  the  gentleman,  approaching  the 
group,  "  I  have  the  honor  to  introduce  to  you  my  old 
friend,  Dick  Anderson  Stewart.  Dick,  as  we  familiarly 
call  him,  had,  in  the  past,  but  one  besetting  sin,  and  that 
was  a  yearning  to  ornament  his  belt  with  the  scalp  of  an 
original  abolitionist.  He  went  to  the  war  with  this 
object  in  view,  and  though,  for  years,  his  buckskin  jacket 
flitted  wherever  the  carnival  of  death  held  its  wildest 
revelry,  his  desire  to  meet  such  an  individual,  face  to  face, 
has  never  been  gratified  till  this  moment.  He  has  now  be- 
come a  ^  reformed  rebel,'  else  in  turning  you  over  to  him,  I 
should  add  the  usual  supplication  for  mercy  upon  your  soul." 

"  Mr.  Dick  Anderson  Stewart,"  said  the  old  gentleman, 
coming  out  from  the  group,  and  shaking  Dick  warmly  by 
the  hand,  ^'  I  am  happy  to  know  you.  I  am  an  original 
abolitionist — have  even  been  called  the  father  of  abolition- 
ism,— but,  as  you  see,  my  scalp-lock  has  the  frosts  of 
many  winters  upon  it.  I  have  grown  gray  in  serving  the 
cause,  of  what  I  believed  to  be,  human  rights  and  your 
wrongs,  and  I  hope  there  would  be  no  poetic  justice  in 
my  scalp  being  taken  by  you." 

"  Oh,  no.  Mars'  Greely ;  not  by  no  means  ! "  protested 
Dick,  turning  a  shade  blacker  in  compliment  to  nature's 
effort  to  get  up  a  blush.  "  You's  a  gent'man,  sir,  an'  not 
like  de  abolitioners  I  was  arter.  Dey  was  mean  white 
fokes  dat  tole  lies  on  our  white  fokes,  sir  ! " 


"a  rare  kind  of  ignorance/'  687 

"And  how  do  you  know  that  I  did  not  tell  lies,  too?'^ 

"  Oh,  I  kin  tell  a  gerit'man,  sir,  by  lookin'  at  him,  no 
matter  whether  he's  dressed  up  or  not !  You  'minds  me 
a  little  of  my  ole  marster  in  Ferginny,  sir." 

"  I  shall  take  that  as  a  compliment.     Eh  ?  " 

"Well,  sir,  dar  wasn't  many  han'somer  gent'men,  an' 
es  for  better^  dar  wasn't  none.  I  don't  b'lieve  dar  was 
in  de  whole  worl' — not  even  in  ole  Ferginny  itself — 
another  gent'man  es  ignunt  es  my  ole  marster  was.  Even 
Mars'  Chyarles  don't  come  up  to  him  in  dat." 

"  Why,"  exclaimed  the  old  gentleman,  in  surprise, 
"  Mr.  Stewart  is  an  educated  gentleman ! " 

"  Yes,  sir ;  but  he  ain't  no  more  educateder  dan  his 
pa  was ! " 

"  Well,  what  shall  I  understand  you  to  mean  by  their 
being  ignorant  ?  " 

"Oh,  I  don't  mean  de  common,  every  day  sort  o' 
ignunce,  sir  !  I  means  dat  he  was  a  gent'nian  dat  never 
done  no  harm,  an'  never  even  knowed  no  harm.*  You 
'pears  like  dat  sort  o'  gent'man  yourself,  sir." 

"  Do  I,  do  I,  indeed  !  Ah,  if  I  had  all  the  knowledge 
and  wisdom  of  the  world  I  would  gladly  give  it  in  exchange 
for  that  kind  of  ignorance,  could  it  be  retroactive  and 
undo  the  harm  which  my  blind  zeal  in  the  interest  of 
philanthropy  has  done.  But  is  not  the  old  master  of 
whom  you  speak  still  living  ?  " 

"  No,  sir ;  de  abolitioners — or  dar  frens,  I  'speck  it 
was — dey  kilt  him  endurin'  o*  de  war  ! — kilt  him  in  his 
own  house,"  added  the  negro,  while  his  voice  faltered 

*  These  exact  words  were  used  by  a  colored  man,  an  aristocrat 
among  his  people,  in  Lynchburg,  Va.,  in  speaking  of  the  father  of  a 
literary  gentleman,  whose  poems  have  been  put  under  contribution  by 
the  admiring  author  of  this  volume. 

36 


588  INTER   SPEM   ET   METUM ! 

slightly,  and  a  suspicion  of  moisture  gathered  in  his  eyes, 
"  right  by  de  side  o'  my  ole  mistis ;  an^  she  didn^t  live  but 
two  days  arter  dat/' 

"Ah  !  that  was  sad — sad  indeed  !^'  said  the  old  gentle- 
man, sympathizingly,  laying  his  hand  upon  Dick's 
shoulder.  "You  are  an  honest  fellow,  and  I  honor  you  for 
your  fidelity  to  those  who  won  your  love  and  friendship. 
I  shall  bid  you  good-night  now,  but  I  must  have  a  good 
long  talk  with  you  to-morrow.  I  do  not  resemble  your 
idea  of  the  typical  abolitionist,  and  yet  I  did  more  than 
any — than  all  others  perhaps — to  bring  on  the  state  of 
affairs  that  made  the  wreck  and  ruin  of  this  land  possible. 
Ah  !  Dick  ;  a  sentimental  boy  may  set  a  prairie  on  fire, 
but  his  efforts  cannot  arrest  the  flames,  nor  can  his  tears 
atone  for  the  ruin  that  may  result !  *  No  doubt  the  mid- 
night cry  of  the  Ku-  Klux  strikes  terror  to  the  hearts 
of  the  malefactors  of  this  unhappy  land ;  but  often  the 
gentle  moan  of  the  zephyrs  wrings  my  heart  as  theirs  can 
never  be  wrung  ;  for  fancy  tells  me  that  I  hear  in  it  the 
reproachful  sigh  of  a  million  souls  that  have  been  swept 
to  untimely  graves  by  the  results  of  my  teachings.  But 
my  error  was  not  of  the  heart.  It  has  been  the  aim  of 
my  life  to  live  and  act  under  the  inspiration  of  that  com- 
mendable ignorance  of  which  you  spoke,  but  I  have  learnt, 
too  late,  alas  !  that,  in  the  great  affairs  of  human  life,  one 
cannot  be  as  harmless  as  the  dove,  unless  he  shall  possess 
and  exercise  the  wisdom  of  the  serpent.  I  fondly  believed 
my  compeers  and  compatriots  to  be  only  a  little  below  the 
angels,  and  have  found  many  of  them — alas,  so  many  ! — 
to  be  only  a  little  above  the  spirits  of  evil.  It  has  been 
prophesied    by  a  self-styled   astrologian,  who  doubtless 

*  Mr.  Greely  is  said  to  have  used  the  exact  words  of  this  sentence 
when  in  the  South. 


3 


X 


o 

3 
3> 


1) 
O 


FINIS.  591 

drew  his  inspiration  from  the  political  and  not  from  the 
zodiacal  horoscope,  that  I  shall  die  of  a  broken  heart. 
I  devoutly  pray  that  this  may  not  be  verified ;  but  I 
would  gladly  give  my  scalp,  with  the  gray  hairs  which  I 
feel  the  future  must  honor — if  only  on  account  of  the 
honesty  and  integrity  of  my  motives — if,  even  at  this 
late  day,  I  could  call  off  the  pack  which  I  hounded  on, 
and  which  would  now  rend  even  myself  should  I  stand  in 
the  way  ;  and  could  have  the  power  to  still  the  angry 
passions  of  fanaticism  which  only  became  excited  to  phrenzy 
by  the  circumstances  that  should  have  stilled  them  for- 
ever V^ 


Stilled. 


Hope  for  the  Future. 


EPILOGUE. 


A  VISION  OF  VINDICATION: 


BY 


EDWARD   S.    GREGORY. 


593 


The  Dream  of  Peace. 


EPILOGUE. 

A  Vision  of  Vindication. 

"  Though  the  mills  of  God  grind  slowly, 
Yet  they  grind  exceedingly  small ; 
Though  with  patience  He  stands  waiting, 
With  exactness  grinds  He  all^ 

— Frederick  von  Logau. 

A  MOVEMENT  hidden,  yet  slow  at  first  and  uncertain, 
agitated  the  gray  mist  which  clung  to  the  side  of  the 
rocks  where  I  stood.  As  the  cloud  broke  away,  still 
hanging  on  some  spots  of  the  declivity  below,  to  project- 
ing points  of  the  giant  granite,  I  could  see  that  I  occu- 
pied the  height  of  some  sombre  mountain,  and  that  both 
before  and  behind  lay  wide  and  dim  reaches  of  distant 
vision. 

Where  the  sun  stood,  or  what  was  the  hour  of  the 
twenty-four,  I  could  not  discern  from  any  sure  sign  of 
nature.  It  seemed  to  my  dazed  senses  as  if  nature  for  the 
occasion  had  lost  her  usual  lines  of  time,  and  that  the 
light  which  now  spread,  soft  and  brilliant,  on  the  retreating 
mist,  belonged  to  the  air  itself,  and  shone  from  no  star  or 
sun.  Not  that  the  sky  seemed  to  be  overcast,  or  that  the 
day  had  any  weird  malison  of  eclipse  upon  it ;  but  the 
morn  and  the  murk  were  yet  so  mingled  together  that 
the  source  of  the  illumination  did  not  yet  appear.  The 
narrow  footing  which  I  had  kept  and  which  now  showed 
itself  to  be  the  comb  of  a  mountain,  commanded  the 
vistas  of  valleys,  whose  lines  were  lost  in  far  horizons  ;  and 
along  these  the  fringe  of  clouds  still  kept  a  Parthian  per- 

595 


596  A  visio^r  of  vindication. 

sistence  of  slow  and  sullen  flight.  Many  times  the  routed 
shadows  made  their  rallying  returns ;  and  sometimes  the 
flanks  of  the  mountain  where  almost  wholly  concealed 
again.  On  such  occasions,  a  new  element  of  mystery 
imparted  itself  to  the  solitude.  The  strange  silence,  which 
had  been  heretofore  broken  by  no  word  or  wing  or  wind, 
gave  way  to  yet  stranger  sounds  which  appeared  at  once 
to  be  near  at  hand  and  yet  muffled  and  smothered  by  dis- 
tance. Yet  another  magic  the  advance  and  retreat  of  the 
shadows  appeared  to  work  in  the  scene.  As  the  gray 
curtain  closed  and  broke,  the  view  itself  strangely  changed ; 
and  the  rear  of  the  retreating  eclipse  left  a  deep  and 
mysterious  transformation.  So  swiftly  the  changes 
succeeded  each  other,  and  so  wonderful  were  the  new  com- 
binations and  fresh  creations  and  revivals  which  their 
stay  afforded,  that  I  may  not  be  expected  to  describe  in 
accurate  detail  nor  with  adequate  effect,  the  order  and  the 
figures  of  the  shifting  pictures,  but  there  were  some 
forms  and  some  features  that  buried  themselves  deep  into 
memory ;  and  voices  that  echo  from  the  heart  of  the 
vision  yet;  as  if  some  trumpet  still  spoke  across  wide 
reaches  of  tossing  seas. 

****** 
If  the  mist  had  still  lain  on  that  black  side  of  the 
mountain  that  fell  behind  me,  I  could  not  have  seen  so 
clearly  the  desolation  that  made  it  seem  the  home  of  a 
curse.  But  though  there  draped  over  it  no  cloud,  the 
darkness  was  yet  more  dismal,  and  the  shadows  rose 
ghastly  from  below.  Sad,  indeed,  to  my  sense  was  the 
scene  on  which  the  eye  rested,  in  the  murk  that  seemed  to 
interpret  the  evil  destiny  of  the  gloomy  ground. 
Here  opened  a  desert  through  the  frame  of  the  shade, 
which  man — not  God — had  made.     The  mountain  was 


A  VISION  OF  VINDICATION.  597 

none  too  abrupt,  the  valley  none  too  wild,  for  the  happi- 
est cultivation ;  and  indeed  there  yet  remained  to  the 
wrecked  and  wasted  soil  the  widowed  relics  of  that  bounty 
and  beauty  which  bless  the  marriage  of  fertility  and  toil. 
Trees  were  torn  from  the  wooded  space  they  had  adorned, 
fields  were  scarred  with  all  the  harsh  wounds  of  war ; 
gardens  gave  only  the  squalid  harvest  of  thorns  and  weeds ; 
where  homes  had  opened  the  door  of  a  hospitable  welcome, 
above  which  circled  the  smoke  of  focal  altars,  now  ruins 
only  lay  huddled  and  buried  ;  and  here  were  scattered 
ashes  not  fallen  from  genial  fire-sides,,  but  from  the  fell 
flames  of  destruction,  sown  like  salt,  which  witnessed  the 
vanity  of  hope,  and  threatened  the  sacrilege  of  restoration. 
Black  birds  of  beating  wings  and  the  sharp  beaks  of 
ravin,  in  sudden  and  shadowing  flocks,  swept  over  this 
strange  area  of  anathema.  At  times  a  deeper  darkness 
sprang  out  of  the  mystic  valleys,  and  gave  itself  out  in 
ragged,  irregular  outlines,  that  deployed  and  hugged  close 
to  the  crest  of  the  blasted  pines.  At  such  times,  when  this 
weird  veil  hid  the  sloping  hill-sides,  there  seemed  to  peer 
through  it  the  rude  and  heavy  sculpture  of  earthen 
fortifications  ;  a  smell  as  of  sulphur  rose  faint  but  sick  on 
the  laden  air ;  and,  dim  and  dead,  came  thin  reverbera- 
tions, as  of  rifles  and  cannon  and  clashing  sabres ;  there 
came,  too,  words  of  command  and  the  order  of  battle,  all 
mellowed  and  rythmic  through  the  aisles  of  distance ;  and 
threads  of  fire,  that  shone  like  the  rose-flame  of  summer 
lightning,  swift  and  brilliant,  across  the  shroud  of  the 
shadow,  and  through  the  heart  of  the  hills. 

;)c  ^K  4=  *  *  *  ♦ 

While  yet  I  wondered  within  me  what  this  might 
mean,  and  only  appeared  to  myself  in  the  vision,  to  have 
heard  such  voices  and  seen  such  dramas  of  real  action  in 


598  A  visio:?^  of  vindication. 

some  lost  life,  I  felt  that  a  Presence  stood  suddenly  beside 
me,  like  that  of  Virgil  in  Dante's  dream,  whose  eyes  rested 
also  on  the  shifting  scene : 

"  Spirit !  "  I  called,  in  my  first  surprise ;  but  I  felt  no 
fear  of  the  stately  and  gracious  presence  ;  "  where  is  it  we 
are  standing,  and  what  are  these  sounds  that  so  faintly 
reach  us,  and  these  scenes  of  battle  and  ruin  that  lie 
locked  beneath  us,  T\dthin  the  Western  mists?'' 

What  made  me  say  Western,  I  cannot  now  tell,  unless 
it  were  that  the  desolation  that  spread  that  way,  suggested 
the  day-death,  and.  the  miracle  and  mystery  of  night. 

"  We  stand,"  answered  the  august  presence,  "  on  the 
Mount  of  Vision.  The  cloud  has  come  back  to  obscure  the 
landscape  of  battle.  Look  East,  where  the  light  is  now 
widening,  from  the  top  of  yon  mountain,  through  all  the 
hills  and  dales. " 

I  looked  as  the  spirit  bade,  and  saw,  with  ever-increas- 
ing wonder,  which  still  carried  with  it  no  trace  of  /ear, 
that  the  scenes  before  us  were  the  same,  in  nature,  as  those 
which  were  hidden  in  the  mist  behind ;  the  same  bowered 
bosoms  rose  robust  from  the  vallevs  of  verdure  ;  and  the 
chain  that  gleamed  bright  between  them  was  the  richness 
of  warbling  streams ;  the  trees  that  were  blasted  in  the 
pristine  picture  now  lifted  bright  crests,  in  which  birds 
sang  valentines  to  each  other  among  the  blossoms ;  the 
agriculture,  elsewhere  dead,  here  wakened  the  rustic  music 
of  jingling  teams ;  and  the  furrow  laid  open  by  the  sturdy 
plough,  gave  back  the  gratitude  of  Nature's  own  healthful 
breath.  Axes  which  rang  through  the  forest  seemed  to 
rouse  no  echoes  of  lamentation  ;  for  as  fast  as  the  trees 
dipped  their  lofty  pompons,  they  rose  in  the  new  guise 
of  vine-clad  homes,  or  marts  of  commerce,  or  temples 
of  worship,  or  trains  of  travel,  or  buzzing  schools,  or  in 


A   YISIOX   OF   VINDICATION.  599 

some  other  form  that  witnessed  the  reign  of  peace, 
and  the  wide-spread  benison  of  prosperity,  industry  and 
social  weal. 

All  through  this  confusion  of  minor  sounds,  there 
climbed  the  strong  pulse  of  a  music  which  seemed  to  come 
from  a  mill-wheel  in  lively  motion  ;  and  all  through  the 
Avidth  of  mingled  shapes  and  hues,  one  blaze  made  a 
special  commanding  beacon,  and  this,  I  thought,  seemed 
to  flash  as  a  molten  ray  from  the  open  eye  of  some  forge 
or  furnace.  There  were  other  mysterious  likenesses 
between  the  two  views  that  lay  before  and  behind  us,  but 
the  li-lute  that  was  sprinkled  between  the  mount  and  the 
sunshine,  was  certainly  not  ashes,  nor  any  sown  salt  of  a 
curse.  It  seemed  to  be  rather  the  fleece  of  some  flower, 
as  of  COTTON  growing,  and  we  could  even  see,  or  seem  to 
see,  live  human  forms  that  moved  through  the  midst  of 
it,  and  plucked,  amid  singing,  the  sno^vy  blossoms.  And 
the  balsam  that  came,  in  occasional  pufl's,  that  was  not  sul- 
phur nor  saltpetre ;  but  it  seemed  the  breath  of  tobacco 
blown  across  the  space  from  some  pipe  of  peace,  that  lay 
hid  in  the  lowlands  in  tall  log-cabins,  in  fields  of  the 
graceful  deciduous  leafage. 

Was  there  nothing  real  and  nothing  lasting  in  the  pan- 
oramas of  this  wonder-land  ?  Swift  as  the  coquetry  of 
the  weaver's  shuttle,  a  curtain  fell  over  this  vision  of 
Arcady  the  Blest ;  and  there  came  into  ^-iew  afresh,  the 
dreary,  heart-harro^A^ng  pictures  of  the  Western  vale,  on 
which  the  cloud  first  closed. 

"  The  view  of  the  battle  is  nearer  and  clearer,'^  was  all 
that  the  spirit  said  to  me ;  but  I  looked  for  myself,  and 
saw  this  spectacle  unfold  : 

The  leaves  on  the  trees  hung  heartless  beneath  the  fur- 
nace of  a  July  sun.     Great  armies  of  weaponed  and  ban- 


600  A   VISION   OF   VINDICATION. 

iiered  men  were  giitlioroci  along  the  bonnet  of  a  rugged 
hill,  and  on  the  more  oeutle  declivity  M'hieh  reared  itself 
sliii'htlv  across  an  intervenino;  vale.  '^  Multitudes,  nuilti- 
tudes,  in  the  Valley  of  Decision ; "  and  this  was  one  ful- 
lillnient  of  the  prophet's  dream.  On  the  hill  crest, 
among  the  ivy  and  laurcl,  and  beyond  a  rough  but  accu- 
rate service  of  earth-works,  glanced  the  marble  shafts  and 
crosses  which  markcxl  the  Campo  Santo  of  the  dead. 
Here  swarnuxi  and  swept  a  wide  defence  of  heroes  who 
wore  blue  uniforms,  and  who  carried  above  them  the 
meteor  ensign  of  the  stars  and  stripes.  Beyond,  through 
the  gloaming  of  reluctant  dawn,  an  army  no  less  of 
heroes  and  patriots  clustered  faithful  about  their  battle- 
consecrated  o'uns.  It  was  an  armv  of  tattered  uniforms 
and  briirht  muskets,  and  they  wore  the  gray ;  and  the 
banner  above  them  was  rent  and  spent  in  the  stormy  and 
starry  experience  of  mighty  and  bloody  battles.  jNIany  a 
monoorram  of  victory  was  traced  on  the  rao:s  which  these 
Q-rtiY  heroes  bore  over  their  own  raii's — both  illuminated 
and  immortal ;  and  there  roiie  behind  them  a  irniv  old 
man,  who  had  little  to  say,  but  the  eloquence  of  whose 
very  presence  waked  the  line  into  lyric  cheei*s  as  he  passed 
along,  as  if  some  wind  out  of  Paradise  had  sent  its  pulse 
through  the  pines. 

''  Look  ! "  calkxi  the  angel,  "  and  see  the  scene  on  the 
heioht." 

It  was  hard  to  distinguish  any  sight  through  the  canopy 
that  now  sprang  sudden  through  the  feit  (Venfer  of  shell- 
loadal  cannon.  It  was  hard  to  hear  any  word  that  was 
spoken  through  the  deep  diapason  of  death  and  the 
cries  of  pain  or  of  pride  that  were  flung  from  each  mighty 
and  defiant  host.  Yet  I  could  see  one  picture  of  vivid 
hues  and  magnificent  proportions,  that  wrote  itself  clear 


A    VISION   OF   VINDICATION.  601 

and  strong  against  the  sulphurous  background  of  the 
balanceil  battle. 

An  officer  of  majestic  presence,  of  noble  and  unruffled 
countenance,  of  clear  and  cloudless  blue  eyes,  and  wearing 
the  eagles  of  a  general  of  division,  suddenly  showed  him- 
self, mounted  on  a  powerful  white  horse,  at  the  eastern 
end  of  the  blue  line  of  battle.  Two  hundred  guns,  on 
the  line  of  the  gray,  hurled  all  their  torrent  and  tor- 
ment of  iron — of  shell  and  of  shot — at  the  crest  of  the 
Cemeter}^  Hill,  as  this  officer  rose  to  horseback.  He 
calmly  lifted  his  tasseled  hat  to  salute,  as  a  gentleman  only 
could  do,  the  polite  attention  of  his  chivalrous  enemies. 
This  was  all  the  sign  that  he  gave  of  knowing  that  any 
enemy  or  any  artillery  was  in  his  neighborhood.  Unat- 
tended, unmoved,  serene,  deliberate,  through  all  the 
thunder  that  burst  in  blood  about  him ;  past  all  the  rifts 
in  the  ranks,  where  the  lightning  of  battle-death  struck 
the  men  down  favSt  beside  him ;  past  all  the  tragedy  of 
manifold  mutilation,  and  the  swift  shrieks  which  pierced 
even  the  burden  of  the  cannon-chorus ; — slowly,  smiling, 
superb,  sublime,  rode  the  major-general  on  his  proud 
white  horse,  till  near  the  close  of  the  grand  rounds  made 
by  him,  which  left  in  every  man's  breast  the  strength  and 
inspiration  of  a  new-born  devotion, — a  shell  struck  him 
also  to  the  ground,  and  unhorsed  the  bright  belted 
knight.  Abrupt  as  the  bolt  itself,  followed  the  mystic 
shadow  of  the  vision ;  and  the  hero  and  the  field  were 
hidden  at  once  from  view. 

As  the  arches  of  vision  opened  anew  to  the  east,  there 
appeared  even  more  halcyon  signs,  and  more  hopeful  pre- 
sages of  the  wealth  of  the  land,  that  came  forth,  fast  and 
fresh,  from  the  long-hidden  purses  of  nature.  Industry, 
scientific  and  systematic,  had  coaxed  from  earth  the  secret 


602  A   VISION   OF    VINDICATION. 

places  of  her  treasure.  It  seemed  as  if  Aladdin  was  the 
presiding  genius  of  the  transformation ;  for  there  were  now 
new  closures  and  clearings;  the  woods  showed  new  vistas, 
in  the  midst  of  which  roads  and  roofs  gave  the  sure 
tokens  of  civilization  ;  the  beard  of  the  corn  rose  ranker 
and  wider ;  the  carpet  of  earth  smiled  everywhere  more 
gayly  green ;  and  the  cadence  of  mill-wheels  and  furnace 
and  factory  bells  had  risen  from  the  monotonous  solo 
which  once  warbled  their  utterance  to  the  dignity  of  a 
chorus,  which  musically  mixed  with  the  angel  us  and  the 
chimes  from  church  spires  of  worship.  Here  and  there, 
far  and  wide,  moved  divisions  of  a  numerous  army,  that 
might  have  been  lent  from  Lilliput,  so  small  were  most 
of  its  soldiers.  There  were  boys  and  girls  in  the  glad  and 
active  ranks,  and  their  only  weapons  were  satchels,  with 
books  and  slates.  The  forts  they  held  flew  peaceful 
banners  above  their  open  portals,  and  the  inscriptions 
they  bore  was  writ  in  golden  characters,  so  lofty  that  I 
could  read  from  the  mountain  the  sacred  pledge  of  a  free 
education  to  every  child  of  the  people. 

But  there  were  other  throngs  and  other  voices  than 
those  of  work  and  workmen.  There  came  a  great  and 
happy,  yet  confused  and  multitudinous  murmur,  as  of 
some  crowd  of  undaunted,  victorious  crusaders,  who  saw 
above  their  shields,  and  almost  within  range  of  their 
arrows,  the  object  of  their  consecration,  and  the  term  of 
their  toil. 

It  was  a  vast,  vague  army  that  swung  itself  forward 
toward  the  far  figure  of  a  majestic  man,  whom  I  could 
know,  for  all  the  distance  and  dimness,  to  be  the  hero 
who  rode  through  the  fire  of  liell.  As  yet,  I  could  not 
distinguish  where  he  stood,  but  noted  that  close  around 
him  were  circled  graybeards  of  wisdom  and  experience, 


A    VISION   OF   VINDICATION.  603 

and  the  brows  and  eyes  of  grave  public  counsel.  Nor 
could  I  yet  interpret  the  mission  of  the  multitude,  from 
every  section,  that  pressed  upon  him,  except  that  each 
man  bore  a  paper  slip  in  his  hand,  and  that  each  voice 
shouted  the  name  of  the  peaceful  and  patriot  hero. 
"  Whence  comes  this  great  host  of  friends  ?  "  he  asked, 
with  a  gratified  smile. 

"  From  the  right  bank  of  the  Potomac,  Gen- 
eral,'' from  one  great  body  of  the  host,  came  back  the 
answer,  thin  but  plain,  through  the  distance. 

It  was  not  Morgan  who  respoke  the  memorable  words. 
There  w  as  no  buif  and  blue  of  the  Continentals  in  all  the 
transformations  of  the  scene ;  unless,  perchance,  I  some- 
times seemed  to  imagine  it  around  the  quiet  gray  hero  in 
the  cannon  scene.  Was  it  the  royal  old  age  of  Early  that 
spoke  the  words ;  or  Fitz  Lee,  gallant  and  gay,  or  Gordon, 
or  Ransom,  or  Hampton  ?  Once  it  would  seem  to  be  one, 
and  then  another  of  these ;  and  yet  again,  all ;  and  still 
again,  all  the  voices  of  the  uncounted  army  of  peace  and 
union  that  swept,  unweaponed,  to  the  presence  of  the 
patriot  hero.  Was  it  all  prophecy  or  rhapsody  or  the 
mere  mirage  of  imagination?  I  would  have  asked  the 
angel ;  but  whenever  he  looked  at  the  Cavalier  of  Honor, 
his  lips  seemed  to  quiver  and  his  eyes  to  swim.  Only  once 
I  heard — or  seemed  to  hear — through  the  lattice  of  broken 
accents  the  words  :  "  That  is  the  noble  knight  banneret 
Hancock,  the  Bayard  without  fear  and  without  reproach, 
the  nation's  heart  and  the  nation's  trust."  And  again  the 
quick  shade  descended ;  and  the  host  and  the  hero  were 
rapt  from  my  observation. 

"  Spirit,"  I  said,  to  the  silent  but  friendly  presence ; 
"  what  have  meant  these  past  visions  ? — for  now,  both 
from  East  and  West,  the  rays  that  lightened  from  some 


604  A   VISION   OF   VINDICATION. 

unseen  sun  are  hidden  again,  and  as  if  forever,  beyond  the 
rim  of  the  liills." 

"  The  scarred  and  seamed  fields  which  thou  sawest/* 
the  angel  answered,  "are  those  of  thy  Sunny  South, 
where  the  ^  track  of  grim  desolation  and  unutterable  ruin 
marked  where  the  avenging  cannon- wheels  had  passed/  * 
Thou  sawest,  too,  in  the  camera  obsaura,  some  passing 
glimpses  of  those  historic  and  immortal  actions,  in  which  the 
best  and  bravest  of  North  and  South  gave  their  breasts  to 
the  hurricane  of  iron  and  leaden  death  for  the  sake  of  the 
the  cause  which  each  believed  to  be  bulwarked  in  law 
and  justice,- and  blessed  of  God.  Thou  hast  seen  the 
worst  and  utmost  that  brethren  could  wreak  on  each 
other  in  wounds  and  waste ;  in  destruction,  ravage  and 
carnage,  that  the  course  of  destiny,  if  not  the  verdict  of 
Truth,  might  be  left  to  the  last  logic  of  kings  and  peoples — 
in  the  court  of  cannons.  And  thou  hast  been  privileged 
to  witness  in  the  mirage  of  memory  that  act  of  personal 
intrepidity  which  gave  to  the  long  battle  its  final  decision 
for  the  cause  of  the  Union — the  fearless  and  peerless  ride 
which  fired  into  devotion  the  blue  line  of  legions,  on 
Cemetery  Ridge,  against  which  afterward,  the  headlong 
chivalry  of  Pickett  and  Pettigrew  flung  its  power  and 
spent  its  blood  in  vain.  Thou  sawest  men  and  deeds 
which  cast  over  war's  worst  cruelties  of  carnage  an  illu- 
mination that  shall  quicken  true  hearts  to  unselfish 
courage,  while  the  sun  still  shines.'' 

"  There  are  clefts  among  the  roots  of  the  mountains," 
I  said,  "  from  which  the  shadow  has  never  yet  wholly 
ascended.  Yet  there  come  out  of  it  strange  noises  as  of 
shame,  and  uncouth  forms  drift  through  the  penumbra,  as 

*  Draper. 


A   VISION   OF  VINDICATION.  605 

if  on  missions  of  robbery,  wrong  and  insult.  Other 
forms,  yet  more  spectral  and  menacing,  seem  to  go  on 
missions  of  redress,  and  carry  the  guises  of  lawless  justice. 

*'  Let  the  shadow  rest  deeper  henceforth  and  forever," 
said  the  presence,  "  on  these  evil  eras  of  wrong  that  was 
weaponed  by  law,  and  of  right  that  was  self-armed  against 
legal  wrong.  Let  the  grave  of  the  past,  beneath  the  black 
pall  of  a  merciful  oblivion,  shroud  these  wild  deeds  and 
their  doers,  both  the  just  and  unjust ;  and  so  wait  till  the 
archives  are  unfolded,  at  the  last  Assizes." 

*'  This,  then,"  I  said,  as  the  view  toward  the  sunburst 
grew  even  more  brilliant  and  clustered  with  fresh  forms 
of  plenty  and  beauty  ;  "  this,"  I  said,  "  is  the  new  South- 
land, as  the  future  will  weave  her  fortune." 

The  genius  of  prophecy  appeared  to  dilate  in  the  rising 
and  roseate  dawn,  and  tono;ue  and  eve  alike  were  touched 
by  the  altar-coal.  This  green  and  gold  before  thee,"  he 
answered,  "  is  but  the  first  measure  of  fulfillment  and 
compensation ;  the  earnest  of  glories  that  are  yet  to  be. 
The  herald  that  stands  tiptoe  on  some  loftier  crest  of 
dreams,  shall  forerun  the  knowledge  of  slowly  succeeding 
years ;  and  to  his  eyes  shall  unroll  a  broad  tide  of  won- 
ders which  would  move  thee,  even  as  thou  standest  on 
this  mountain  of  vision,  to  want  of  faith  in  the  prophetic 
promise.  These  teeming  fields,  these  buxom  harvests, 
these  trailing  plumes  of  the  steam-ships,  and  the  long 
land  caravans  of  trade  ;  these  white-winged  sea-birds  that 
fly  in  the  jesses  of  commerce ;  these  flaming  forges  and 
whirling  wheels  of  the  factory  and  shop;  these  broad 
marts  of  exchange  and  temples  of  gold ;  these  mines  that 
sparkle  with  stones  of  fire ;  these  home-nests  of  culture 
and  comfort ;  yea,  these  schools,  in  which  the  weeds  and 
seeds  of  ignorance  are  painfully  taken  from  the  minds  of 

37 


(306  A    VISION   OF   VINDICATION. 

those  who  are  to  be  the  parents  of  generations  yet 
unborn ;  the  very  sanctuaries  m  which  incense  swells 
from  the  altars  of  prayer  and  song ;  are  but  the  outward 
and  visible  tokens  of  the  new  baptism  of  favor,  of  power, 
and  of  influence,  at  home  and  abroad,  that  shall  crown  a 
rescued  and  vindicated  land. 

'*  All  the  hard  and  long  way  through  a  painful  trust, 
divinely  committed  and  faithfully  and  patiently  endured ; 
the  task  of  educating  into  civilization  and  religion  the 
rude  children  of  the  dark  continent  across  far  seas ;  all 
the  way  of  bloody  and  disastrous  battle ;  through  want 
and  sorrow,  and  the  loss  of  the  dearest  and  bravest,  all 
the  length  of  the  Via  Dolorosa^  past  the  ashes  of  homes 
and  the  wreck  of  families,  the  w^aste  of  treasure,  the  servility 
of  public  counsel,  the  insults  of  cowards,  the  persecutions 
of  prejudice,  the  confusions  of  intermeddling  ignorance ; 
past  all  the  long  ordeal  of  dislocated  industry  and  endan- 
gered society,  and  the  peril  of  a  subverted  civilization,  and 
the  volcano  of  passions  which  throbbed  and  thrilled  under 
the  sinister  and  secret  fingers  of  vindictive  malice ;  through 
distraction,  poverty,  bankruptcy  and  tribulations  untold; 
through  want. of  heart  and  want  of  hope,  and  the  very 
enmity  of  nature  and  the  curse  of  a  barren  and  blasted 
soil,  the  South  has  come  up  to  the  true  measure  of 
freedom,  manhood  and  moral  courage,  and  woven  in  sun- 
lio'ht  a  destiny  which  shall  be  more  reg-al  than  her 
children's  and  her  champions'  most  lifted  dreams  ! " 

As  the  genius  ceased  to  speak,  his  figure  grew  more 
and  more  indistinct  in  the  scaling  sunshine,  and 
now  nothing  remained  of  its  grandeur  but  an  added 
aura  on  the  mountain  crown.  And  lo  !  as  I  looked 
down  the  auroral  vista,  there  hung  across  the  burning 
mountains,  distinct  in    the   glancing    gold,  two  flags, 


A   VISION   OF   VINDICATION.  607 

which  seemed  by  some  mystic  law  of  effulgence,  to  borrow 
fresh  lustre  from  each  other's  honor.  One  of  them  was 
the  battle  flag:  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America — the 
symbol  of  the  independent  South,  in  its  trial  of  blood ; 
and  the  other  was  the  meteor  standard  of  the  Stars  and 
Stripes;  the  symbol  of  a  Union  defended  by  the  common 
heroism  of  North  and  South  and  enshrined  in  the  hearts 
of  a  happy  and  grateful  re-united  people.  Under  the 
crossed  draperies  of  these  blood  baptized  banners,  stood 
two  figures,  vaguely  surrounded  by  a  ghostly  host ;  and 
the  twain,  I  thought,  seemed  the  stately  spectres  of  Jeb 
Stuart  and  Phil  Kearney  the  "white  lily  of  Chantilly,'' 
and  the  beau  sahreur  of  Dixie.  And  beyond  where  these 
stood,  smiling  and  clasping  hands,  a  white  shaft  like  the 
marble  that  rises  over  the  mingled  ashes  and  married 
honors  of  Wolfe  and  Montcalm  in  the  castle  of  St.  Louis, 
shone,  fringed  with  the  gilt  of  morning ;  and  on  the  broad 
pedestal  I  could  read  this  inscription  through  the  wind- 
touched  tassels  of  blossoms  that  wreathed  its  base  : 

mortem    vietus, 

communem    famam    historia  ; 

monu:mentum    posteritas 

DEBIT. 


"  Under  the  sod  and  the  dew, 
Waiting  the  judgment-day ; 
Under  the  roses  the  blue, 
Under  the  lilies  the  gray  ! " 


THE    END. 


"^ 


7>r 


■f 


RARE  BOOK 
COLLECTION 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT 

CHAPEL  HILL 

Wi  liner 
443 


